The criminology behind a scandal
by DR. Elsac2
Summary: Michonne is entangled in an affair with her criminology professor Rick grimes during her exchange year in an American university. Not one to be naive, she does not expect an happy ending but she also did not expects the consequences. Years later, Maggie Rhee invites her for an American holiday and her wedding . Until there everything is innocent.
1. Chapter 1

I know how many work in progress can someone have. Unfortunately, my mind becomes overly active when I try to avoid my studies. Therefore here is a new story. I don't know how it will be received but I need to write this chapter to focus on my other Richonne fic.

Please, Review.

* * *

Prologue

* * *

Her mistakes resurface to drown her. In a poorly illuminated bathroom, Michonne stares at the stick in her hand. She believes two pink lines mean positive. However, Michonne is not sure, and so she picks up the box to read the instruction.

"Dip the stick in your urine and wait for several minutes." Michonne reads aloud, and she stares at the cup filled with her urine on the table.

She did as instructed on the box. Michonne does not believe there can be a mistake on the result. Although, she wants it to be a mistake. Michonne stares at the second line in hope that it will disappear. Ten minutes later, the second pink line continues to taunt her.

Michonne draws a deep breath, and she attempts to focus. She needs to be calm, and she needs to think. A loud bang at the door reminds her that she can think at the moment. Michonne stares at the door, but she does not move. Fear tetanizes every muscle of her body.

"Mimi?" Sasha's soft voice fills the room, and the concern overwhelms Michonne.

She can't think with Sasha unceasingly knocking at the door. Michonne deeply inhales, and she continues to stare at the pregnancy test in her hand. How did it happen? Stupid question, she knows the how, but the why it happened is the question, which she wants to ask.

"Mimi, talk to me. Is it positive? You have been in a bathroom from an hour, and I'm worried." Michonne hears the panic in Sasha's voice.

An hour, she believes that only a few minutes had passed. An hour is too long for a moment of panic. Michonne stands, and she continues to hold the pregnancy test in her hand.

"Two pink lines mean positive." The words don't come out as a confirmation of what she knows.

They sound like a confused question. Sasha stares at the test in Michonne's hand, and it is positive. Her medical mind tries to be rational. Her mind races through thoughts.

"Could be a false positive, and we have other tests. Do it again." Sasha unboxes another pregnancy kit with unusual speed.

She puts the test in Michonne's hand and guides her in the small bathroom of their student apartment. Sasha sits on the bathtub while Michonne stares at the unused test in her hand. What is she supposed to do with the test?

"You peed in a cup, right?" Sasha moves from the bathtub when Michonne answers her question with an absent-minded nod.

She searches for the urine-filled cup, and Sasha finds it. She returns by Michonne's side and takes the test from her hand. Sasha plunges the stick in urine, and she drags Michonne to the bathtub.

"Let's wait," Sasha says, and Michonne nods.

She is completely out of it. There is a question in a loop in her mind? Why does this happen to her? She is a good person. She is a proper Catholic though she misses church on non-significant Sunday. She attends Easter mass, Christmas mass, and anything, which matters. She is a great daughter, and she has a sweater to prove it. Michonne is a brilliant student and top of her class. She is a good person, and she should not be pregnant with her married professor's child.

After several minutes, the wait is over, and there is a cross on the test. Positive, the test is positive.

"I don't trust these American things," Sasha says with indignation, and her French snob attitude suddenly emerges.

"It is positive," Michonne says with a monotonous voice.

"Mimi, false positives are common. Until a hospital confirms it, I won't believe this American tests." Sasha says with vehemence, and Michonne envies her friend's conviction.

"It is probably as bad as their socket. Mimi, it's going to be okay. Soon, we will return to Paris." Sasha continues to rant, and Michonne finds it comforting.

"Okay, no panic until I get a proper blood test. Nothing is ruined yet." Michonne steals a piece of Sasha's confidence.

This pregnancy can't be real, and this exchange program will end in two months. She will return to her Parisian's life and laugh about the six months, which she spends in America. Michonne draws a deep breath and throws the test in the trash can. Two days later, she cries when she reads her blood result.

"Elevated beta hCG," Sasha says though she did not expect the result to be different from the home kit.

Sasha wanted the result to be different for Michonne's sakes. She knew from a start that it was a wrong idea to do the exchange program. In Paris, there was no Rick Grimes. There was no criminology professor, who looked like an Adonis. However, Sasha does not point it out. Sasha takes Michonne in her arms, and she waits for her friend to calm down.

"What do I do now, Sash?" Michonne questions.

The friends share a look, and they decide to give themselves a break before finding an answer to that question

* * *

The restaurant is almost empty, and they can hear the cutleries graze on the ceramic plates. Rick vaguely thinks that the chickpea and cherry tomatoes soup is a delicacy. An awkwardness fills the atmosphere, and the silence is heavy. He crosses and uncrosses his arms. Rick looks around, and the restaurant continues to empty itself. Three hours and nothing substantial has emerged from their conversation. He grabs his wine glass, and he slowly sips the rich crimson liquid. Someone will eventually break the silence, and for now, he has to deal with the awkwardness. The words stumble on his tongue, but he can't say anything. Rick has tried, but he can't live a double life. He draws a deep breath, and he is ready to speak. He puts his fork down, but her words interrupt him.

"I'm pregnant." She hesitantly says, and her brown eyes fall on the immaculate white tablecloth.

Rick's spoon stills, and his hand trembles. He raises his eyes to stare at his dinner companion. The choice of the venue finally makes sense to Rick. They are not big fans of European cuisine, and the restaurant is a fancy place in Manhattan. Although, the restaurant is a few streets away from his place. His mind refuses to focus on her words, and so he thinks about the restaurant. Ultimately, he moves the spoon to his mouth. A few seconds prior, the soup was delicious, and now, it tastes like peroxide and toothpaste. Rick pushes his plate away from him, and he attempts to find the right words.

"You're pregnant." Rick echoes her statement with a slight desperation in his quivering tone, and he pushes the soup dish further away from him.

The golden soup appears to become an offending sight, and Rick attempts to process her words. He catches glimpse of her brown eyes, and he feels her discomfort. Rick instinctively extends his hand to her for support, but he needs the support too. A pregnancy twists his intricate life. How did it happen? Stupid question but it is a professional deformation. He knows how it happened, and he understands the consequences of a sexual intercourse. Why does this happen to him? He finds the appropriate question.

"You don't seem so excited." Her voice breaks Rick out of his thoughts.

Rick is too flabbergasted to deny her accusation. Although, she is spot on, and the news fills him with dread. Rick stares at the table, and he takes note of the steamy bread, which would be perfect for his soup. His mind wants to focus on trivial details, and a pregnancy is the worst news to him.

"Lori..." He drawls her name with no intention to finish his sentence.

Rick finally retrieves the basic function of his brain, and he forgets about the bread. Although, his thoughts escape his control to focus on the brown envelope in his car. The envelope, which he has carried for the last two weeks. The envelope contains his divorce papers, which he lacks the courage to give to Lori after eight years of marriage and a six years old son. Now, Lori is pregnant, and he is Rick Grimes. Rick Grimes is a good person. He is an intermittent Christian, and he calls upon on God, when times are hard. Rick is a good son as far as he is concerned. From his siblings, he is the only one, who cautiously uses the family fortune. He has a steady job at a prestigious university. Rick is a good father, and he is an unhappy husband. Although, good people are not in love with their student, and they don't plan to divorce because they have a mistress. Why does this happen to him?

"I know we haven't been in the best place these last months. Your job and my job. Carl and more." Lori squeezes the hand, which Rick offered.

He nods at what she said, and he continues to listen. These last months were a culmination of two ugly years, and he may be searching for excuses to justify his liaison with Michonne. Although, he has the excuses of loving Michonne. Rick loved Lori, and he may still love her. She is a beautiful woman, and she is a sensible one. They had two difficult years, and the blame falls on both of them. Parenthood and busy schedules have a way to complicate a fragile union. Their marriage was one of obligation, and they have a great respect for each other. Aside from his uncertain romantic feelings, Rick adores Lori. She is an amazing mother and a great friend. Rick does not know what he can do.

"Lori..." Rick hesitates, and the topic of conversation has a lot to do with his disorientation.

Rick is presently at loss about what to do. He wanted a divorce until the last twenty minutes, and he was sure Lori would agree with him. His wife is pragmatic and rational. She is a good person, and she deserves better than to have a cheating husband. Lori would have been furious, but he could have apologized to her for his wrongdoing. Now, she is pregnant, and he assumes it is three months. Since Michonne, Rick has avoided intimacy with Lori. He is a good person. Why does this happen to him?

"Hear me out. I love you Rick, and I don't want to lose you. I don't want to unsettle Carl, and we have already talked about how our situation affects him. Now, there is this pregnancy, and we aren't in the best place in our marriage. Can we work it out, please?" Lori's voice quivers, and she looks at him with so much hope.

She makes a point, which Rick can't ignore. She loves him, and he does not doubt the veracity of her words. Therefore, he can only feel guilty, and he loves her. Rick loves Lori not as passionately as in the past, but old flames are still flames. They have a family, and his parent raised Rick to be a family man. Carl is six years old, and he needs stability to develop. Lori is pregnant, and she needs him. Although, she did not mention it. Lori needs Rick to go through this pregnancy. Carl pregnancy almost cost Lori her life, and they know the risk of another pregnancy. Lori's heart is not a strong one, and Rick may have to break it. He loves Lori, but he adores Michonne. His affair with Michonne may be scandalous, but it is not sordid.

Anxious and confused, Rick passes his free hand in his unruly curls. He glances at the soup, which is now cold. The bread does not look appetizing any more. Rick's eyes peruse the table, and they stop on Lori's stomach. He ultimately notices the small bulge on Lori's stomach, and Rick thinks of the brown envelope in his car. The envelope with papers, which he needs to burn. Rick Grimes is a good man, and good men don't leave their pregnant wife because they believe that they found the women of their dreams. Michonne should have stayed a woman in his fantasy.

"We can try for the children's sake."

* * *

Michonne attacks his lips as soon as the door closes, and her grip on his shoulder is tight. Rick forgets himself, and he returns her kiss with scorching passion. His lips press her bottom lips until she moans in his mouth. Rick pushes Michonne's back against his desk, and the copies fall on the ground. His tongue invades her sweet mouth, and his hands roam on her generous bottom. Rick kisses Michonne with the eagerness of a man, which holds on the vestige of an ending happiness. There is an abandon, and there is desperation. The kiss is sloppy, but there is the restraint, which Rick's fear brings. He kisses her with a dedication to detail and a need to remember how her lips feel. He memorizes her umami taste and the way, which her tongue bends and twists to accommodate his tongue. Rick kisses her until he has the courage to let go.

He abruptly stops, and Michonne continues to hold on his shirt. Hesitantly, Rick pries away her hands from his shoulder, and he puts distance between their bodies. She shivers at the loss of his warm, and she stares at Rick with expectations, which he can't uplift. Rick can't face Michonne, and so he turns to face the wall behind him. Yesterday, he burned his divorce paper, and he has to do the hardest part today. He draws a deep and takes a seat behind his desk to move further away from Michonne. Rick stares at the copies on the ground, and Michonne starts to pick them up. He does not know how to deal with his frustration.

"You don't have to do this." He says to Michonne, but she continues to pile the fallen copies. "Stop and take a seat." Rick orders with a forceful tone.

Michonne turns to look at him, and she finally notices his tense posture. She hesitantly takes a sharp breath, and she does what he required. Michonne knows of Rick's temper like any other student, but he no longer allows his anger to befall on her. Michonne awkwardly sits, and she already senses the worst. She wants to share the unhappy news with him, but she is not sure the moment is adequate. Michonne never gave much thought to a future with Rick, and he was her mistake. Although, a repetitive bad decision is not a mistake. She decided to proceed with her bad decision, and Rick was a bad choice. Now, she needs to face the consequences. Their liaison started as an accident with an extremely chaste kiss, and the kiss sufficed to silence Michonne's moral. Rick Grimes makes Michonne question her values.

"Are you okay?" Michonne asks when she finds the proper use of her tongue, and Rick's taste is still on the tip of it.

A glance at him and she has her answer. Rick looks distraught, and she feels nauseous. Between her anxiety and morning sickness, Michonne does not know the cause of her nausea. However, the knot, which clogs her throat, results from her understanding of what might happen.

"We need to talk." Rick's voice is unclear, and he coughs to clear the emotional undertones.

He should look at her in the eyes, but a glance at her will change his mind. Therefore, the papers on the ground are a great focal point, and he stares until his irises burn. Furious with his cowardice, Michonne taps on his desk, and she glares at him when their eyes meet. She bites her tongue not to start to plead.

"This needs to stop," Rick says with solemnity, and he takes an authoritative tone.

He does not know how to proceed, and Michonne is stoic for a second. She always expected the end, and Michonne is not a naive teen, who lacks pragmatism. Rick is an informed choice, which she made with consequences in mind. She knew it would hurt, and she presently agonizes. The affair is a mistake, but Michonne loves Rick. Love is the incentive for poor decisions.

"What needs to end?" She defiantly questions Rick, and hormones overrule her pragmatism.

"You're my student." Rick attempts to use the obvious argument, and Michonne cocks an eyebrow in a chastising manner.

"It was inconsequential in the last two months," Michonne says with as much calm as she can muster.

The tears are pricking her eyes, and the hormones are working against her pride. Michonne does not want an emotional scene, and she wants to walk out of the room. However, she is rooted in the chair where he asked her to sit. The words collide in her mind, and anger simmers below the surface. She will not make it easy for him.

"I get it that you're angry. I took advantage of my position. I led you on, and now this. I understand if you chose to report me to the school board. I understand Miss Barnes…" Rick continues to pursue on his noble angle.

He truly wants Michonne to punish him, and he wants to lose his job. Michonne does not care for his noble stance, and her mind stops on one word. She glares at Rick, and she forgets her prerogative. Who cares about pride and dignity? Ultimately, she can move from her seat.

"Miss Barnes?" She shouts when she leans toward his desk.

Her name is something so small, and it causes an emotional cataclysm. Michonne had two difficult weeks, and she tortured herself concerning her accidental pregnancy. Not Chonne, not baby, Miss Barnes said with a patronizing tone. Tears follow the anger, and she furiously wipes them. Words die on her tongue, and she does not share anything about her pregnancy. She will look desperate if she does or so she believes. Michonne grabs her bag, and she takes back her seat. She does not know why she has not left the room. Why does she stare at him with a morbid curiosity?

"We can't continue this. It was a mistake on my part and a lack of judgement. I'm an authoritative figure, and you may have felt compelled to agree with me. I will accept the consequence" Michonne allows him to finish his speech, and she collects the remaining paper on the ground.

Rick stares at her, and her actions can't make sense to him. However, Michonne needs to busy herself or she will claw his eyes out. Once she finishes, Michonne has her tears under control. She squashes the need to submit Rick to an emotional tirade. If he wants to paint her as a helpless victim to alleviate his guilt, she will not stop him. If he wants to reduce her love for him to a power abuse, Michonne won't contradict him. He wants to deal with the consequences, and Rick does not know what the consequences of their affair are.

"Okay, professor Grimes," Michonne says, and she walks out of the room.

* * *

A month has passed since her confrontation with Rick, and Michonne feels helpless. She senses Sasha's eyes on her, and she puts her glass of water down. Michonne swallows the pills in her hand, and she sits next to Sasha on the sofa. They can't continue to postpone a needed conversation. Sasha lowers the television's sound, and she draws a deep breath. A month of indecision has left Michonne and Sasha at the edge of extreme exhaustion. There is a silence, which is hard to break. There is comfort in saying very little, but Michonne needs to face her reality.

"Do you really want to do this, Mimi?" Sasha asks, and she grabs the bottle of antenatal vitamins.

She silently reads the cover, and there are many questions, which she needs to answer. Sasha does her best to be a supportive friend, but there is a growing need to chastise and scold. From day one, she told Michonne there would be many consequences. However, Sasha bites her tongue, and she chooses to help.

"What do you want me to do, Sasha?" Michonne replies with a question, which she has failed to answer.

What is she supposed to do? She continues to have her criminology classes, and she avoids Rick as much as she can. In two weeks, she has not cried about her intricate situation. What can she do to ameliorate the situation? Sasha does not take the aggressive tone as a personal attack, and she shares Michonne's anger. If she had a chance, she would murder Rick Grimes.

"Consider the options. You're twenty-three years old, and you can't do this alone." Sasha counters with a similar frustration.

"I have considered the options. We went together, and I could not do it." Michonne decides to be levelheaded.

In her situation, the options are close to non-existent. Three weeks ago, an abortion seemed like a natural thing. Sasha held her hand all the way to the clinic, and Michonne could not do it. There was no ideology behind her refusal to go through the process. During the consent form and the memories of Rick, she lost her bravado. There were a few shed tears, and Sasha continued to hold her hand. Sasha booked the first antenatal visit, and they left the hospital.

"Then tell him. I mean that is 50 per cent of his DNA." Sasha follows Michonne's lead, and her voice softens.

She takes Michonne's hand, and she passes her hand through the young woman's dreadlocks. This is a variation of prior conversation. Michonne categorically refuses to share her pregnancy with Rick. Sasha does not understand the reason why, but Michonne does not know how to explain resentment and needs. She needs a reminder of Rick, but she is unwilling to share anything with Rick.

"I was a mistake." Michonne answers with a watery smile and the conversation with Rick refuses to leave her mind.

"Don't tell me more of the bullshit that he said." Sasha's anger returns with a vengeance.

"I can do this alone. I will talk to mom and dad. "Michonne says with conviction, and she wipes the tears before they fall.

She looks at Sasha with an unwavering smile, and her friend wraps her in a hug. Michonne takes a deep breath.

"We're doing this together. In a month, we will be back home. You will graduate, and we will see what comes next." Sasha corrects Michonne, and the thought of returning to Paris is comforting.

"Thank you," Michonne says, and she feels tired.

After a month of indecision, she ultimately has found a solution. In a month, she will be able to forget about Rick Grimes and more. She dreads the conversation with her parents, but she will not back down. Michonne will deal with the consequences of her poor choices. She knew the end would be bittersweet.

"I think you should report him to the board," Sasha says after half an hour of silence.

"I don't need a scandal. I loved him… I was a fool, and I can shoulder the blame." Michonne replies and she does not intend to ruin Rick's life.

"He used you." She insists, and Michonne shakes her head.

"It does not matter now..." Michonne replies while she rubs her soon to be swollen stomach.

"We're doing this." Sasha points at Michonne's stomach, and a genuine smile graces her friend's lips.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews and follow, since chapter two was raedy while I update chapter 1. here is a early update.**

 **i don't own the walking dead**

 **please, review**

 **this chapter time frame is 9 months**

* * *

 **Chapter I**

* * *

 **3 months later…**

 **New York**

The cold statoscope pressed on her chest, and Lori takes a deep breath. Rick sits by the doctor's desk, and for the first time, he is present during the prenatal visit. He stares at the pink walls, and he wants to be anywhere but in this room. Three months later, he has not assimilated the news of Lori's pregnancy. Rick fears the anger, which he feels toward the baby.

He looks away from Lori, and he purges his thoughts from the ugliness. He deserves the misery, and Rick realises it. Lori sits by his side, and she wants to take his hand. Rick does have the strength to pretend, and he shoves his hand in his pocket. Anger and resentment are difficult feelings to control.

He needs some time to adjust to his situation. Rick needs more than three months to understand the loss of his happiness. Unfortunately, he expresses his anger at the worst time. Rick promised to work through the obstacle of their relationship, but his sub-conscience dominates his goodwill. Lori's fingers sit on her thighs, and she takes another deep breath.

"I advise you to terminate your pregnancy." The obstetrician's words add to the tension in the room.

Rick finally exits the crevice of his mind, and he focuses on the drama around him. Lori is blasé by the announcement, and she does not dare to look at Rick. Her eyes blaze with indignation, and she focuses on the MRI results, which her doctor holds. Her eyes narrow on her heart, which is abnormally humongous. She instinctively reaches for Rick's hand, and he clutches her trembling one.

"And the other option?" Lori questions with a faltering voice.

Her eyes continue to stare at the MRI results. Her medical condition must be a joke, a heart failure. Her grip on Rick's hand tightens, and Lori clutches his hand until no blood can flow in his fingers. They knew that it was possible, and Carl's pregnancy almost had the same outcome. Lori's heart is delicate, and Rick almost broke it.

" I did not clearly express the risk in your situation, Mrs Grimes." The obstetrician insists, and his voice's urgency should scare Lori.

She knows the risk, and her heart has doubled in size since the first prenatal visit. The pregnancy risks to be fatal to Lori. However, she does not want to believe the risks, and she survived her first pregnancy. Lori's free hand protects her stomach, and she stares at the obstetrician with irrational anger.

"Lori, please." Rick softly says, and he knows how stubborn his wife can be.

For a moment, he hesitates on the decision to make. The result of the baseness of human nature is a horrid feeling. Rick squashes the thought, and he remembers the man, who he was before his affair with Michonne. He tightens his hold on Lori's hand, and he starts to understand her pain. Rick kisses Lori's temple, and he borrows her warmth. He ultimately shares her pain.

"Your heart functions will decrease during the following weeks. With your obstetric history and the present result, Mr Grimes, there is a high risk of cardiac arrest at any time during this pregnancy. Your heart is in the early stage of failure. The safest choice is the termination of gestation." The words no longer carry meaning for Lori, and she focuses on the soothing motion of her hand on her stomach.

Rick is silent, and he is on the verge of tears. His grip on Lori's fingers is bruising, but she is the strong one. He looks at her in search of guidance while the obstetrician looks at Rick with the hope that he can be the rational parent. He does not carry the baby. He is not familiar with their child heartbeat. Rick can be the objective parent, but Lori drags their joint hand to her stomach. He feels the movement underneath her skin, and Rick starts to cry.

"The other options?" Lori demands without faltering.

Another option always exists, and she had one with Carl. She cannot climb the staircase, and her heart is big. How does that equate to a heart failure? Why does it end in a death sentence for her growing child? The baby is healthy, and Lori can avoid climbing the staircase. She can spend the rest of her pregnancy in bed. Lori crushes Rick's fingers.

"After stimulating the fetal growth with steroids to help his lungs' growth, we can do a C-section." The obstetrician answers her question, but he has that look, which is more talkative than two old women after a Sunday mass.

Lori does not want to hear his tirade, and so she speaks before her doctor can.

"When can we schedule the C-section?" Lori asks, and Rick overpowers his distress.

"We will consider every option," Rick says to the doctor.

…

…

…

….

When they make it into the safety of their home, the façade crumbles. The tears, which Lori held as long as she could, start to fall. Rick encloses Lori in a protective hug, and he does not know where to start. Lori hides her head in Rick's chest, and she cries until her throat can only emit raw sounds. He stands by her side with trembling arms, and Rick's heart suffers the same grand mal than Lori's one. This is not the way out, which he wants. Did he speak it to existence? Rick shares Lori's desperation, and he can't be the objective parent.

"What are we going to do?" Lori asks Rick with a helpless expression, and she takes another deep breath.

She moves out of Rick's embrace, and she expects him to have the answer to solve all their problems. Cornered by their reality, Rick is unable to process another emotion than anger. Angry with the world, angry at his decision, and he is angry to be Rick Grimes. He is a man with a passing sordid thought, which consoles him from the potential loss of his unborn thought. He is also Rick Grimes the man, who needs to sit on the ground of his living because his heart is bleeding.

"Whatever you want to do, I will hold your hand through it." After a minute of silence, Rick speaks, and he slowly stands.

He stares at Lori, who has retrieved her regal posture. She is an unbreakable wall, and so Rick mimics her strength. It is her body, and so it should be her choice. Rick would go through everything with Lori, and it already chose this road, when he broke up with Michonne. Lori looks through her bag, and she frantically searches through it. He overestimated her strength. Lori needs to cry her soul out, and so he drags her into a hug. She slightly shoves him away from her, and she does not want to acknowledge the problem. Her choice will not change.

"Look at her feet." Lori pulls an ultrasound picture out her bag, and a picture, which Rick has not seen because he wallowed too long in resentment. "Did you hear her heart?" She angrily questions him.

Lori knows what Rick will suggest. However, he is not in her position, and he has eluded his paternal's duty. Rick does not have her attachment to the baby.

"Carl?" Rick questions with exhaustion.

"I survived Carl's pregnancy, and I will survive this one." Lori stands taller, and she defies him to question her strength.

Rick would never dare to question her strength, and it is the reason why he adores her. When the situation requires her to be a pillar, Lori can be unwavering. When the situation is pressuring, Rick escapes in his mind. In the last three months, he has found refuge in his head. Tonight, he has no choice but to act.

"Carl's pregnancy left you with a cardiac condition." Rick attempts to show her the danger, and he does not want to lose her.

"I can handle it," she replies with conviction, and she has a guarding reflex every time Rick moves.

Lori guards her stomach, and Rick helplessly stares at her. He already renounced to his happiness, and the fate continues to punish him. His life has become a succession of perpetual dilemmas.

"What happens if I can't handle it?" He says, and Lori stops to look at Rick.

There is desperation in her look. Her look speaks volume, and he once again remembers why he needed to let go of Michonne. He has to handle the situation, and he has his duty to fulfil.

" I will have no one to lean on. If you can't handle it, you can walk out." Lori does not waver when she delivers her response to his question.

"Let's schedule a C-section," Rick says, and he grabs Lori's hand to drag her in a crushing hug.

* * *

 **Paris**

Michonne sits at the end of the table, and she regrets choosing her apartment as the venue for tonight dinner. The presence of prying eyes will have buffered her parents' reaction to the news. However, Sasha suggested a small dinner, and Michonne agreed at the time. With her mother's judging eyes on her, Michonne regrets her choice of venue. Sasha squeezes her hand, and the small gesture of encouragement is soothing. Michonne smiles although it comes out as a grimace. She watches her parents from the corner of her eyes, and they are the picture of proper etiquette.

Michel and Yvonne Barnes are the people, who inspire Michonne. From their respective career to their amazing marriage, they are her model of success. Michel Barnes is a respectable politician on his way to the presidency. Presently, he is the prime minister, and Yvonne is a high court magistrate. Both are children of immigrant and the result of perfect integration. Michonne is supposed to match the family's standard to greatness, and until Rick Grimes, she was doing well.

"Have you gain weight, Michonne?" Yvonne says with a suspicious glare, and she stops Michonne's hand when she reaches for the bread.

Michonne does not dare to look at her mother, and the accusing tone suffices to make her heart speed. She returns her hand below the table, and she looks at the bread with longing. When it comes to specific aspects of Michonne's life, Yvonne can be berating and controlling. Her weight, her physical appearance, and her love life are subject, which Michonne has very little control over.

"Will you ever cease to question her figure? You look amazing, bebe." Michel decides to intervene and saves Michonne from an impending lecture.

Although, Yvonne waves him off, and much like Michonne, her father often bows to Yvonne's will. Michonne's fate tonight rests on Yvonne's opinion on the situation.

"Thank you, dad." Michonne offers a wavering smile, and she glances at her mother, who continues to inspect every inch of Michonne's visible skin.

Yvonne's interest increases Michonne's discomfort, and she attempts to make herself small. She sinks in her chaise, and Yvonne glares at her bad posture. Everything appears to increase the tension in the room, and the hormonal assault on her mind worsens Michonne's predicament.

"What is the reason behind this unscheduled dinner?" Yvonne stops staring at Michonne, and she asks.

The Barnes family has a limited amount of time, and scheduling is almost part of a religious habit. They don't have dinners, which they did not plan months in advance. Therefore, the unexpected gathering raises red flags. Michel is less suspicious that his wife, but he questions Michonne with a look. For a second, Michonne freezes, and she loses her bravado.

"Perhaps, we should eat before the food loses its appeal." When she notices Michonne's tensed posture, Sasha intervenes, and she attempts to distract the Barnes.

"You look extremely tense, and Michonne is rather pale." Yvonne has no intention to allow the tension in the atmosphere to disappear. She has noticed something abnormal with her daughter, and she has no patience with the situation.

"Are you okay, bebe?" Michel questions Michonne when he takes in her pale appearance.

The softer tone, which her father uses and the hand pressed against her cheek undo Michonne. The remaining restraint, which she had, disappears. The hormones push her fear and despair to the surface. She looks up, and she meets the worries' eyes of her father.

"I..." Her attempts to speak ends in silent tears, which wet Michel's hand.

A silent tear turns into a heavy sob, which results in hyperventilation. In a fraction of second, Michonne is in the middle of a panic. The tears start to drench her face, and she holds on the tablecloth so hard that the dish on the table moves. The other occupants of the room look at Michonne with concern, but she can't stop the flow of tears. For a minute, Michonne's regresses to a moment of early childhood, when she cried her heart out after breaking a precious Ming dynasty ceramic vase. The mistake is of lower calibre than the present reason for her tears, but her fragility at this instant is the same. She feels as if her world will end once she says the words.

"Michonne?" Yvonne questions and she moves her chair closer to her daughter.

"Mimi, breathe," Sasha says as she takes hold of Michonne's trembling hand.

"I'm so sorry for disappointing you. I'm so sorry." Michonne starts to speak, and the room becomes silent to hear her.

Her apology fades, and the tears return with a vengeance. The Barnes starts to worry for their daughter, and they look at Sasha with a need for an answer.

"What is going on? What happened, bebe?" Michel asks with a softer tone, and it grounds Michonne in that childhood memory.

"I never planned for it to go that way. I had a plan. We had a plan. I graduate in international law, and master in politic science. I will climb the ladder and make it as high as dad did. I know we had a plan. Barnes always have a plan" Michonne starts a mini-rant, which her parents don't understand.

The creasing on the forward is deep, and Michel worries about Michonne's mental state. Yvonne takes a step back, and she scrutinizes every inch of Michonne's body.

"Michonne. You're scaring your mother and me." Michel says as he pulls Michonne into a hug, and the hug has the adequate soothing effect.

"Mimi, it is okay. No one is disappointed with you." He softly says her while he continues to calm Michonne, and he kisses the crown of her head.

"Mimi, breathe. Remember stress is bad." Sasha says, and she rubs Michonne's back.

"Can I talk to mom?" Michonne ultimately dares to ask, and she holds Sasha's hand while she leaves to find refuge in her room.

….

….

….

…..

Yvonne follows her daughter and Sasha. A glance at a standing Michonne and she only needs a confirmation. Her hand goes to the pearl on her neck, and she sighs. Michonne can sense the brewing storm, and she seeks some strength from Sasha. Her mother is a difficult woman, but Yvonne is rational.

"Is it what I think?" Yvonne breaks through her daughter thinking-pattern.

She glares at her daughter, and Michonne does not dare to verbalize her answer. She nods, and Yvonne sighs with frustration. There is a hint in the look, which she throws at Michonne, and the younger Barnes woman looks to the ground. Disappointment is all she sees in her mother's eyes, and she expected nothing less. Her mother has always put many expectations on Michonne, and she has never fallen short until today. Michonne was on her way to further her family legacy, and the daughter of second-generation immigrants, who made it into posterity. There was a plan, and she has endangered it.

"Who?" Her mother asks, and the anger grows in her voice.

"Does not matter," Michonne answers with an unwelcomed boldness.

"Michonne?" Yvonne reiterates her question in a quiet tone, but she does not have as much patience as she wishes to have in this situation.

She smooths her skirt, and she straightens her posture. Appearances are important in every situation, and she taught as much to Michonne. Now, she does not like Michonne's posture, and she puts her hand on her daughter's shoulder to correct it.

"It was a mistake," Michonne replies and she does not budge on her answer.

Yvonne sighs, and she frees Michonne's shoulders. She smooths the imaginary wrinkles on her impeccable skirt, and she starts to lose her patience with her stubborn daughter.

"I still care about what made him a mistake and who he is." She insists, and her tone is harsh and full of warning for Michonne.

"My criminology professor. He is a mistake because he is a married man," Michonne tells the truth, and she does not foresee the consequences until her mother reacts.

"A mistake?" Yvonne punctuates her statement with a harsh and rough backhand slap across Michonne's left cheek.

After the loud sound of the slap, the room is silent. Sasha stares at the Barnes women with a shocked expression, and Michonne does not dare to move. Yvonne massages her hand, and she does not care for the shocked faces staring at her. She is more concerned with the possibility of a scandal, which would taint her family's perfect image.

"Please, don't say anything similar around your father. Have you decided about your future, and what role does the married man intend to play?" Yvonne proceeds with the conversation as if she has not slapped her daughter.

When Michonne does not answer, her mother raises her eyes, and she glares in a questioning manner. Michonne swallows her pain, and she timidly answers.

"He is of no relevance. I will keep the baby, and I don't intend to deviate from the plan." She says with the hope that her mother will not have a sudden fit of rage.

"Has he refused to be responsible for the consequences of his urges? This is the type of men, whom you find yourself in the company of." Yvonne pinches the bridge of her nose, and she looks at her daughter with an expression, which leaves Michonne hurt.

"I saw no reason to tell him, and I wanted to avoid a scandal." She replies.

Yvonne mocks Michonne statement with a bitter laugh, and her eyes fall on Michonne's stomach.

"Good." She says with a detached tone.

"Mom, I'm sorry." Michonne starts to speak, but Yvonne raises her hand to interrupt her daughter.

"You've reason to be. We taught you better. Do you understand the sacrifice, which we made to be in such a position? A life of luxury has taken common sense away from you. Everything, we have today could be lost tomorrow because you can't close your legs to a married man. You're supposed to reach height, which we could only dream of, but here you're pregnant. Unmarried and pregnant, but you outdid yourself a bastard fathered by a married man. Where did we go wrong with you?" The quietness of her voice makes every word harsher, and her statement causes a sharp pain to Michonne.

She knows and understands what her mother says. They raised her in a way where she was bound to be the best. Perhaps, it is why Rick was appealing. The temptation was too great to resist, and she forgot about the consequences. Her grandfather started to build a political empire, and her father solidified it. A scandal will ruin the work of many generations. She is supposed to continue a dynasty, but she might as well destroy it with her mistake. Yvonne words are not kind, but they are a reflection of Michonne's thoughts.

"I'm sorry for disappointing you," Michonne says and she wipes the tears, which fill her eyes.

"I will talk with your father, and we will try to have you out of Paris for the length of your pregnancy. I won't have rumours spoiling your father's good name or the future, which you have to build. After the child's birth, we will have to decide what to do next." Yvonne does not care for Michonne's teary apology.

"I'm keeping my child," Michonne says without an ounce of hesitation.

"We will consider." Her mother ignores her statement.

"Then I don't need your help." Michonne spits with anger and frustration.

Her mother's mouth twists in a small smile, which quickly disappears. She stares at Michonne with a certain disdain for her child's arrogance. Michonne is the result of her education, but Yvonne is the one, who taught her everything. She straightens her posture in a way, which makes Michonne cower.

"Do you think the situation only affect you? Do you think your debauchery will not taint your father's image or your future? When the news of your illegitimate child comes out, this sordid story will have repercussion on our lives. A mistress, my daughter took on such a sordid role. You want to ruin your future for the seed of a man, who could not bother to assume his duty. I said we will consider." For the first time through the conversation, Yvonne Barnes raises her voice.

"I will publicly claim the child like mine." Sasha intervenes before the situation can become uglier than it is.

Both Barnes women are stubborn, and Michonne's mother is ruthless when crossed. Sasha decides to do the sensible thing, and she holds Michonne's hand to keep her friend grounded. They don't want her child to end in an orphanage.

"I will arrange for the villa in Avignon." She says with a tone that warns against any opposition, which Michonne might have.

"Mom?" Michonne attempts to disagree, but another slap silences her.

Her mother has lost her patience. Yvonne sighs, and she distances herself from Michonne. She takes a deep breath, and she looks into Michonne's eyes. She faces her daughter's defiance, and she decides to crush any rebellious thoughts. She will not allow her irresponsible and immoral daughter to ruin their lives.

"What was said in this room should not leave this room or God help me. If your father learns of your stupidity, you will regret the day I birthed you. Whatever useless man, you chose to father this child should never know. For all purposes, he will be her child. Are we clear, Michonne?" She demands with a tone, which adds to the tension in the air.

Michonne takes too long to answer, and Yvonne's anger increases. She closes the distance, which she previously put between her daughter and her. Michonne flinches as she expects another slap, but her mother's hand only rests on her cheek.

"You won't be a disgrace to your father or to our family. The school year ends in a month, and you will not be showing until then. I will tell your father that you need a year to prepare for your future endeavours. A year should suffice to retrieve your figure. We will salvage what you almost destroyed with your distasteful actions." Yvonne says while her hand raises to touch the cheek, which she stroke before.

The anger in her eyes has dulled into an unreadable emotion, and Michonne wants to protest. However, she knows her mother, and every threat is an unbreakable promise of doom. Michonne swallows her words, and she stands straight. Her mother continues to caress the cheek, which she slapped. The tears are pooling in the corner of Michonne's eyes, and she allows them to fall. Yvonne walks away from her daughter, and she faces Sasha.

"Thank you for taking on her burden." She takes Sasha's hand into hers, and she squeezes them.

Through, she does not say anything more. Sasha understands the veiled threats, and she will need to keep the same secret as Michonne.

"Wipe your tears. I don't want your father questioning my excuses for your emotional breakdown." Yvonne releases Sasha's hands, and she glares at her daughter.

She watches Michonne's wipe her tears. When she sees nothing wrong with her daughter's appearance, Yvonne walks out of the room with no other glance at the two young women left behind.

"Oh dear, your daughter and her fear of failure." Michonne hears her mother says, and she wonders how the woman can pretend so well.

Silently, Michonne eats, and she avoids her mother's glare. Sasha shares her sentiments, and she does as Michonne did. They don't dare to exchange looks, and it is hard after what has happened in the other room.

"Is she okay?" Michel asks after glancing at his silent daughter.

"Nothing, which a good breath and a mother-daughter talk can't fix. Michonne's anxiety results from her fear to disappoint you. Michonne tell your father why you fear to disappoint him?" Yvonne orders and Michonne understands what she requires of her.

Yvonne puts Michonne through a test, and she wants to discover if Michonne will abide by her rules. Michonne takes a deep breath, and she puts her spoon down. She talks to her father, but she glances at her mother for approval. She can't afford to be in the position where her mother would without any hesitation ruin her life. Her affair with Rick has already done the damage.

"I considered taking a year off before pursuing my ambition." She lies, and an encouraging soft smile sits on Yvonne's lips.

"You deserve the rest, bebe. You have worked hard the last two years." Her father answers and he squeezes Michonne's hand.

"I think Sasha should join her. The girls are inseparable." Yvonne says, and she starts to put her plan in action.

As long as she lives, she intends to make Michonne's pregnancy a secret, which does not ruin her family's image.

"If Tyrese does not oppose the situation. I will be happy to pay all cost." Michonne's father says, and the women share a look.

The time for decision has come, and Michonne and Sasha can still escape. Sasha nods to Michonne in an attempt to reassure her, and they don't contradict Yvonne.

"The Avignon villa will be perfect." Yvonne continues to speak.

"I think the girls have the ambition to travel the world." Michel counters and he does not fathom why his young and vibrant daughter will want to go into a small village.

"Avignon is a great idea," Michonne says with false enthusiasm.

"Now, can we have that dinner?" Yvonne says, but Michonne and Sasha are in a nauseous state.

* * *

 **2 weeks later**

He stands at the door's corner, and Rick follows every of her movement. He does not dare to interrupt her, and he has a hard time accepting their reality. He does not want to be here with Lori, but there is nowhere he can be more useful. He looks at her, and he is afraid of the future. Her skin has lost many shades, and she is pale. Her eyes are a muddy brown due to exhaustion taking the glim out of them. Carl's pregnancy was intricate and difficult, but this time is tenfold worse. Every time Rick looks at Lori, he feels guilty. Guilty for cheating and guilty for wanting to leave. Rick is not happy, and the chances are he will not be able to make Lori happy. Therefore, he does know how to approach her. Four months after ending his affair, he is more distant than he has never been in eight years of marriage.

From the door with a foot suspended between outside and inside, he looks at Lori. She endlessly swallows pills, and her complaint is a soft sigh. She is unable to stand or breathe, but she holds on the kitchen island for support. Her fingers curl around the marble, and she can keep her erected posture. With such daily sight of Lori's effort and struggle, Rick recognises how much dignity and strength his wife possesses. Strength, which Rick wishes to borrow, and dignity, which he wishes he had kept.

Silently, Rick continues to stare at Lori, and he is unable to decide his next move. Breaking up with Michonne was not enough, and he did not return to the normalcy, which he needs to support Lori in this journey. Aside from feeling utterly useless, Rick can't process basic emotions. As a mechanism of defence, he has started to shut down. His behaviours are odd, and Lori quickly notices his reluctance. Ultimately, Rick presence by her side only adds awkwardness and discomfort to their situation. As the days pass, Lori starts to feel like Rick's jailer.

"So?" When she can no longer stand his worried eyes on her, Lori speaks.

Her question is a monosyllabic word, but the impact is greater than any long statement. Lori offers Rick an opportunity to pour his mind, and there is no topic restriction. Her question is a simple request for respect. She places the glass of water down, and she turns to face him. Rick glances at the pills on the table, and his eyes return to Lori's pale face. She knows what he does not dare to say, and she does not want to hear it. Lori grabs the multiple pills' bottles on the table, and she starts to pack them. After a long minute of silence, Rick dares to speak when he notices that Lori has lost all patience.

"So?" He returns Lori's question, and she offers an understanding smile.

The atmosphere between them is heavy, and the unspoken truths saturate the air. A poor exchange of words confirms any doubt, which Lori could have. Rick's eyes return to the empty kitchen island, and he does not know how to further the conversation. In the last months, he has disconnected himself from his reality. For too long, he has focused on his man pain. Nothing seems to suffice to help him wake up from his old fantasies. He broke up with Michonne, but his mind has missed the memo. Her departure may have worsened the situation, and Rick only starts to process the loss. There is no longer the comfort of knowing that he will continue to see her during his class period.

Now, he has lost her, and the path to acceptation is sinuous. Rick wants to readjust to his old life, but four months later, he continues to fail. Although, his present situation does not favour normalcy. His present situation prompts him to escape to the crevice in his mind, and Rick uses his memory as a crutch. Subconsciously, he attempts to shield himself from reality. However, Lori has allowed enough of his self-indulgence.

"If you're going to be passive aggressive about everything, there is no point in having a conversation." Lori softly says, and she starts to wipe the kitchen island.

She needs to busy herself, and she feels frustrated with their situation. Her fingers tremble, and she does not want to look at her hand. Her eyes swell with tears, and Lori curses the outpour of hormones. She is normally a levelheaded woman. Lori does not need a reminder of her situation. When she discovered her pregnancy four months ago, she expected a change in her marital situation, but Rick continues to be distant. Time does not seem to change anything, and she has given him three months to make up his mind. She glances at him, and she expects to see something more than pity. She knows he pities her, and the situation frustrates Lori. The tears threaten to fall.

"I'm not being aggressive." Rick attempts to justify his actions.

He is not aggressive in his mourning of an affair, which should have never happened, but Rick is sulking around his home. Lori is not blind, and she does not intend to be silent. Rick is being selfish, and he is aware of his actions. Eventually, he will step out of his selfishness. Now, he wants the time to indulge in his pain, and someone else pain can wait for his mental stability. However, there is no much time to wait, and his heartbreak is minimal compared to Lori's agony. He is angry with Lori for being pregnant, but he can't blame her for something he is partly responsible for the result. Therefore, he settles for passiveness. He has accepted his fate, and he will go with the flow.

"You're passive about everything, and you're almost absent." Lori points out, and she throws the towel, which she used to clean the kitchen.

There is no need to hide behind anything. They both attempted to stall this conversation, but it is inevitable. If they want to better their predicament, Lori and Rick need to acknowledge the ugly truth. The truth keeps them apart, and Michonne weighs on their couple like a haunting ghost.

"Lori..." Rick always reverts to saying her name in disbelief when he lacks the counter-argument.

Lori is right, and Rick wants to be with another woman. However, he knows where he must be. Four months have passed since his breakup with Michonne, and Rick's life hasn't become less intricate. He is distant, and he does not spend more than the necessary amount of time with Lori. There is no physical intimacy, but Lori didn't expect them to break their previous cycle of abstinence. She does not complain about the lack of intimacy, but she notices the mental distance between them. She can no longer pretend, and she can no longer give him the time to recover from his loss.

"It is not an accusation but an observation. It's obvious you don't want to be here, and I don't want to force you into anything. Our parents have done enough of that." She calmly stated, and she pulls a chair to sit.

Her legs are painful and swollen. She difficultly breathes, and speaking is a great effort on her lungs. Rick attempts to help her down, but she lifts her hand to stop him. Lori is not an invalid, and she does not want the treatment of one. It is a reminder of why Rick has not left. Pity, he pities her, and it is hard to accept for Lori. Their marriage was never one of love, and it was an idea of their parents. However, they use to share a lot more than pity. Now, there is nothing more than pity for her predicament. Lori can no longer take it.

"I have never held you responsible for anything. As for a marriage of convenience, it could have been worse." Rick attempts to reassure her.

No straining emotions, the obstetrician's bits of advice were clear. Rick does not want to start a conversation, which will end in tears. He is an emotional coward. He takes the towel, which she discarded, and he starts cleaning to distract himself. Lori slowly takes the towel from his hand, and she pushes it away from them. Rick can't avoid the confrontation. Lori struggles to leave her chair, but she refuses his help to walk until the fridge. She grabs a bottle of beer and a pint of lime sorbet.

"Could have been better. You could have been in love." She says with an all-knowing tone, and she places the bottle of beer in front of Rick.

They never deluded themselves in believing that they were in love with each other. There is love, but not the type, which leads two people to want to share their lives. Rick takes a sip of his beer, and he does not know how to pursue this conversation. He does not need a reminder of their situation. He does not need to know that from the first second of their marriage, Lori was a duty to him. He is a good son, and he easily complies with his parents' wish. He loves her, but it was never in such ways. He adores her but in a learned manner. Duty, Rick has known nothing else until Michonne.

"I love you." Rick sincerely says, and Lori does not doubt him.

Lori loves Rick too, but their kind of love is different. Lori takes Rick's hand, she offers a reassuring smile, and she silently tells him more than what he wants to hear. She digs small holes in her sorbet, but she has no taste for it. She wants ice cream, but her obstetrician was rather clear about the restrictions. There is no need to lie to someone, who can read every expression on his face, but Rick wants to do Lori the courtesy to care enough to lie.

"I know you love me, but you're not in love with me. Eight years hardly change that simple fact." She says with a poorly hidden hurt, and she attempts to detach herself.

Rick has never been secretive, and he has never lied to her about the core of his feelings. However, the truth can still hurt. Lori has learned to love her husband until she was in love with him. Rick has stopped to a lukewarm love. He loves her enough not to be resentful of their parents' choice. The smile on her face is watery, and her fingers are almost blue. No straining emotions, it is hard to abide by the instruction. The situation does not permit lethargy, and silence is murderous to their marriage.

"Maybe, it is why it is so hard for you. Maybe, it's why you're so passive. You're going with the flow." Lori says with her forwardness, and Rick wants to end the conversation.

They are both exhausted, and the conversation starts to take a physical toll on them. Rick holds his head down in shame, and Lori struggles with her tears. She sinks her finger on the kitchen's island, and she stands straight. Dignity is the only thing, which she wants to keep. The same dignity, which Rick's pity assault. Lori stares at Rick until the point of discomfort, and he raises his head to face her.

"Don't get in my head, Lori." Rick sighs, and he drinks more of the beer in his hand.

He feels angry, but he has no right to feel as he does. Rick knows he should not feel half of what he feels, and he attempts to adjust. He wants to tweak his emotions. Why can't he take his love for Michonne and transfer it to Lori? Why can't he do what he intended to do four months ago? Lori is not hard to love, and he was almost able to do so before. Now, he resents her for faults, which are not her doing. Therefore, he does not want her looking through his action and discovering the flaws in his reasoning. His flaws, his selfishness, and his guilt should not be a ground for anger against Lori. Rick has the common sense to know it, but he does not have the emotional ability to manifest it. He chooses to be distant instead, and it is a subconscious way to punish Lori.

"Professional deformation." Lori softly laughs, but the laugh is hollow.

The laugh is as hollow as the life, which they attempt to rebuild on an uneven ground. Rick never forgets about her job. Lori is a renowned psychologist, and for that reason, she is very busy. Her job was hard on their marriage. They did not have the luxury to be in love, and they did not have the time to try to fall in love. Therefore, they stop in a confused emotional state, where he adores her and respects her, but he is not in love with her.

"If I don't work my magic on you, I have no access to your mind. We have a communication problem and a scheduling problem." Lori lays the fact in front of Rick, and he can't argue those with her.

Rather than wasting his saliva in futile defensive words, Rick swallows another sip of his beer. Lori's fingers drum on the kitchen island to break the abrupt silence, which has fallen on them. There is a growing need to retreat in both party, and they can maintain the status quo. Rick can continue to misdirect his anger, and Lori can pretend to be blind to the situation. No emotional strain, her body can't endure more hardship.

"Between my classes, the research, and my clinical practice I have no time. Your love for silence is a problem. We're not passionate lovers. Misfortunate individuals forced together, and it is fondness more than love. I just ask to have that back. We are no longer friends." Lori can no longer hold her tears, and her sunken eyes become red. The sorbet on the kitchen's island no longer matters, and she wants ice cream.

"I'm still your friend." Rick timidly says, and he reaches for her back.

The caress is uncertain, and Lori's sob fills the room. Rick takes a deep breath, and he can't look at her without taking away what she tightly holds on. Lori is prideful, and she needs control over her emotion. She takes a deep breath and wipes her tear. She whispers that she is okay.

"When you're lying to me, I know better than to call you a friend. You never lied to me, Rick. I don't want to force you into anything." the tremor in her voice is the only reminder of the tears, which she shed seconds ago.

Rick wonders how her posture can be so regal. Emotions have a way to make Rick become small, but Lori will stand straight through everything. Although, he can see the straining effect, which the conversation has on her. Her skin is translucent, and the green veins are visible under her bare forearm.

"I'm willingly here," Rick says with conviction, but Lori appears doubtful.

Four months, it is the first time that he believes it. Her tears must have permeated through the dense wall of his mind. Suffering and pain are not exclusive to him. He is not the only dejected lover in their home. Rick pins for Michonne, and Lori pins for Rick. However, Lori possesses a strength of character, which allows her to reign on her emotions. Rick chooses to have his man pain drown him. Tonight, he has to face reality. He lost Michonne, and he should rid himself of the emotional weight attached to that fact.

"Your lawyer called the other day. If you need a divorce, I will sign them. We will manage something." Lori's words come as a surprise, and he moves away from her.

Finally, his emotional distance becomes physical. Rick looks at Lori. His selfishness roars, and he considers taking the offer. Pride and dignity, which he wishes to possess, and Lori possesses too much of it. In a second, she solidifies the decision, which he took four months ago. When in presence of exemplary strength, the intelligent thing is to mimic it. For a second, Rick has to give up his ghost. He must forget about Michonne.

….

….

….

….

"It was a harsh decision. It was impulsive, and you know how I get." Rick says, and he can't look at Lori.

"I know, and I'm telling you that I'm not a charity case. If I have to deal with a passive and unhappy husband, I will rather be single and have my friend back." Lori says quietly, and she prays that it will be enough to avoid any drama.

"I want my friend back too. I won't lie these two years have been confusing. Somewhere, I lost focus on our dynamic, and I wanted more." Rick decides to open himself to the conversation.

"More?" Lori questions, but she understands what Rick implies.

As a woman, she has her senses. She may have turned a blind eye, but it is hard to miss the signs. She has known Rick half of their lives, and she could tell that he was in love with someone. Unfortunately, it was not her.

"You said it, Lori. We're good friends. A well-oiled engine and it works for many things." He continues, and she nods.

"But it does not for a marriage or not every time. I understand. It is easier for me because I have learned to love you." Lori takes over the conversation when Rick is afraid to upset her.

Rick looks at her as if she will break in the next second, but her heart is stronger than he believes. Lori wants to cry, but she does not want to fuel his pity for her. She wants to express her anger, but she must avoid straining emotions.

"I didn't mean for it to get out of hand. One second, it is a thought and then I'm deeply lost." Rick attempts to explain how his infatuation for Michonne grew in something, which he could not control.

Somewhere between the firm knowledge that she was his student and the admission that she was the woman of his dream, Rick fell in love. At first, he fought the attraction, and he built the boundary. However, some things are unavoidable. An unfortunate moment when they were alone, and he kissed her. A simple impulse, he does not know how to explain it.

"You were curious." Lori attempts to materialize his thought, and she wants to minimize what Rick felt.

It will hurt less if he did it out of curiosity, and she will be less angry. Lori is offering him a way out, and Rick is too far gone to take it. He takes a deep breath, and he shakes his head.

"I was captivated. I tried to be pragmatic about it. Don't do it, you're married to an amazing woman." Rick shares with Lori his mantra since he met Michonne.

"Pragmatism is not your forte. You're passionate." She replies with a feigned detachment, but the tears start to fall.

"I did not mean to allow it to happen nor did I think ahead. It happened, and I tried to avoid it. She was more than curiosity, and she was more. I would feel guilty, but I would not stop. I would rather avoid you than let go of her. She was more." He does not have to say anything, and Lori understands what he means.

Intelligently, she does not compare herself to Michonne, and it will be futile because Lori is not lacking something, which leads to Michonne being more for Rick. Everything is a flaw in Rick's logic. Everything weighs on Rick's dissatisfaction with the dutiful life, which he chose. Lori is angry, and Rick is the target of her anger. She takes a deep breath, and she wants the conversation to end. However, she has opened Pandora's Box.

"I'm sorry that it lasted two months." Rick finishes.

"These last two months," Lori confirms with Rick.

"You knew." He questions, and she offers a watery smile turned into a grimace.

"I hoped you will get back to your sense, and I wished it will give us a chance to fix everything," Lori answers, and she confesses her only fault in the situation.

"Pragmatism," Rick says all knowing.

"Compromise. I've thought about it you know. I wanted more too, but for me it meant you. In case you want to assume that I cheated too." Lori corrects him.

"Never crossed my mind. There was a reason why I felt so guilty. I knew you were trying to make us work. I..." Rick can't finish his statement because he is not dedicated to choices, which he made.

"You want more, and you want her," Lori says with exhaustion.

"Lori." Rick wants to deny the truth, but his entire being roars against the soothing lies, which he pushes for Lori's sakes.

"I'm going to be heartbroken. I'm going to be angry, but I will survive. Give the right amount of time, and I will forgive you. If you want a divorce, I will sign it." Her anger is silent because she holds on her dignity.

"I ended it. We have a family, and I jeopardize it. We can work our way back to the point, where we were happy enough to make this work. I can't back out of my responsibilities. I..." Rick stubbornly refuses to take the easy way out.

"Do you love her?" For once, Lori raises her voice to break through Rick's dense mind, and it is the wrong choice.

She suddenly feels dizzy, and Rick catches her on time. She sees that constant pity in his eyes, and Lori is angry. However, she has to reign on those emotions for her survival.

"It does not matter," Rick says with an imploring tone, and he does not want to cause more hurt to Lori.

"Rick, do you love her?" Lori insists with a softer tone, and Rick recognizes the friend, who he adores.

"Deeply, but not enough to be a coward. I love her, but it is not enough to be selfish. I was ready to end our marriage for her. However, the situation is different." Rick can't lie to Lori when she is so open to being his friend, and he has to learn bravery from her.

"What if you don't stop loving her? You will resent Carl, the baby, and me. I won't lie. I'm angry and disillusioned." She says with a broken tone, and she may not have the emotional strength to let go of Rick completely.

"I'm sorry. I messed up, but I won't make it worse by abandoning you." He says with a solemnity, and she knows that he won't break his promises.

"If one day, you come to regret this, it was your choice," Lori warns Rick.

"It is for the best."

* * *

 **2 weeks later.**

Heartbeat's sound fills the room, and Michonne stares at the ultrasound screen. His heartbeat lulls her to a state of calm, and she stares at her child.

"Do you hear him?" She asks Sasha, and her friend nods.

Sasha and Michonne stare at the screen, and they watch her son while he kicks her bladder. Michonne winces, and she chastises him. The kicks stop but now, he rolls in a different side.

"He has indeed a strong heartbeat." Michonne's obstetrician says in echo to the women's excitement.

"Are those his feet?" Michonne inquires with an excited tone, and she points at the screen where her son holds his legs.

"Sasha, look at him. Oh, he is moving." Michonne continues to point at the screen with excitement, and Sasha smiles fondly at the screen.

"I think we wake him up." The obstetrician says, and she wipes the gel away from Michonne's stomach.

"Hello," Michonne whispers against her stomach.

"Do you want two sets of pictures. One for you and the other for the dad." She says, and Sasha looks at Michonne.

It has been almost five months, and Michonne never mentions Rick. The life in Avignon is boring and slow, but Michonne does not allow any thoughts about Rick Grimes to cross her mind. After the incident with her mother, Michonne made a point to suppress any thoughts about her exchange time in New York. Everything about her son father will remain a secret. There are nights when she accidentally misses him or thinks about it, but she knows better than to dwell on thoughts related to that shameful past.

"One..." Sasha starts to speak, but Michonne breaks out of her small trance to reply.

"Yes, I will love two exemplars." She softly says while she drags her shirt down her growing stomach.

"Your baby is developing well, and so far I think we could have a safe vaginal delivery. I will advise you to take some classes to help prepare for it. In three months, your baby should be here." The obstetrician finishes, and she gives the ultrasound pictures to Michonne.

"Thank you," Michonne says, and she takes the pictures.

"Can I have a double of the heartbeat recording?" Michonne requests while she stands at the door and Sasha stares at her curiously.

"I will have my assistant give you one in a few minutes." Her doctor replies and Michonne leaves the room followed by Sasha.

"Why do you need a copy?" Sasha worriedly questions.

She knew Michonne's silence about Rick was deceptive. She had a front seat to their affair, and it was intense. Perhaps, they found their way back to each other. After all, the warnings did not stop Michonne the first time. However, Yvonne Barnes will not care about how much Michonne loves Rick. Sasha does not want the situation to worsen, and Rick needs to stay in the past.

"Here, I want you to have it." She places the second recording in Sasha's hand, and she adds the second ultrasound picture.

"Michonne..." Sasha lacks the proper words, and she feels bad for doubting her friend.

"I know you're sacrificing a lot for me." Michonne echoes Sasha's thoughts.

"Are you angry with me?" Sasha asks because Once Michonne's son is born, she will have to pretend to be the mother in public.

"No, I'm sorry for being distant. I'm just aware of the consequences, which my affair with Rick has on your life. I don't think you ever wanted to spend a year in Avignon. I surely know that you did not want to pretend to be my son's mother in public. I'm thankful for the sacrifice you make. I promise not to waste it." Michonne sincerely says, and she does intend to hold her promises.

"My though girl image..." Sasha groans when the tears start to fill her eyes.

"It's still intact." Michonne laughs and she drags Sasha into a bone-crushing hug

* * *

 **3 weeks later**

Rick watches as they ready Lori for her C-section, and he holds her hand. He needs to tell her many things, but he is too worried to speak. Lori smiles at him, and it is a beautiful sigh. He borrows into her strength, and Rick hopes for the best.

"Now, do you regret it?" Lori questions and Rick shakes his head.

He does not think the moment is adequate for this conversation. He did not recently think about Michonne, and the memories still resurface when anyone mentions her. Embarrassed, Rick looks away from Lori. He will never live down his infidelity, and he will forever carry the guilt. He hurt Lori, and he did the same with Michonne. With time, Rick has come to peace with that thought, and there is yearning when he thinks of Michonne. It was not an infatuation or purely lust, and she was more than he deserved. In truth, he does not deserve Lori. However, he is lucky to have only lost Michonne.

"Nope, you need me, and I'm right here," Rick says with conviction, and Lori's smile becomes small.

She knows that duty drives him, and she is not sure it will suffice for anyone happiness. The time is not right for a discussion of this type, but once their child is born, she will ask for a divorce. There is a third person in their relationship, and she will never be able to win nor does she want to compete.

"You will always want more, and you will forever want her. What was her name?" Lori quietly asks, and Rick does not want to answer.

Seeing the hurt, which he has caused, is hard. Facing Lori is hard, and he has to live with the guilt. However, her interest is genuine. She offers Rick a reassuring smile, and she intertwines their fingers. Anger appears to be an emotion, which Lori chooses to disregard. Every second is a display of dignity, and in her failing heart, there is a small space for very little emotions.

"Michonne," Rick says to appease Lori, and she says nothing for a second.

"I forgive you for not loving me. I forgive you for being easy to love when you try. I had no chances to resist, and I don't think Michonne had a chance to resist your charm." Lori says with a soft chuckle, and Rick does not appreciate the tone of this conversation.

"I love you, Lori" Rick kisses Lori's forehead, and he kisses their joined hands.

"I know you try…" She can't say more because the nurses enter the room, and they move Lori on the stretcher.

Lori winks at Rick as she leaves the room with a warm smile on her lips, and Rick does not have the time to react. Lori's obstetrician offers him a pile of medical forms to review. He notices that a signature is missing one paper, and he points it out.

"We will need you to sign this." He says to Rick, and he points at the empty space below many paragraphs.

"What is this?" Rick questions.

"Resuscitation consent form." Lori's obstetrician answers and Rick freezes.

"Lori." NOW, Rick can't erase the conversation with Lori.

"Mr Grimes, please." The obstetrician insists, and Rick signs the form.

….

….

…

….

For two hours, Rick stares at the theatre's door, and he can't breathe. Signing a resuscitation form is normal for any major surgery, but there is a sense of finality to the act. Perhaps, the soft smile on her lips was too peaceful. Rick anxiously stares at the door, and he prays for it to open. After half an hour, his prayers are heard, and a cradled comes out of the theatre. Rick can't tear his eyes away from the doors.

"Mr Grimes, you have a daughter." The midwife tells him, and Rick does not glance at his child.

There is a heaviness, which threatens to drown his heart. Their conversation has a taste of finality, and his senses are in alert. Rick feels broken, and he wants to erase the last months. He wants to erase the two previous years when they grew distance, and he wants the words to sound true when he claims to love her. Michonne should have never entered the equation, and Lori would have had a chance to win his heart.

"Lori?" Rick questions the nurse, and he refuses to look at his daughter.

"Our team is doing their best to restart her heart, but the effort was too hard for her body. She had a cardiac arrest during the C-section. We have been trying for the last five minutes." He does not feel the hand on his shoulder, and the words do not ring right to Rick.

Rick passes his hand in hair, and he walks away from the midwife. They take his daughter away, and he does not care. Rick presses himself against the theatre door, and he attempts to see through the blurry glasses. He sees nothing but blurry green moving around.

"Clear." He hears loud, and the words echo multiple times until there is no longer any agitation behind the door.

"The emergency team is working on her." the statement is distant, and Rick is not sure of the meaning behind the words.

The door opens, and he does not see Lori. A cluster of exhausted doctors comes out of the room, and a group of hospital personal pushes a stretcher away from the theatre.

 _Time of death: 4:15: 37 in the afternoon_

 _Cause of death: Cardiac arrest_

 _Patient: Lori Grimes._

"We tried our best, Mr Grimes. We are sorry, and we failed to resuscitate Mrs Grimes. If you have any question, don't hesitate." Another hand squeezes his shoulder, and Rick continues to stare at the theatre room.

Once again, it is closed, and he hopes the door will open. Lori's obstetrician and the cardiologist wait for Rick to react. For several minutes, Rick does not move, and he intensely stares at the door. It will eventually open, and she will come out. She is strong, and she has that quiet strength, which roots him. He will practice until he can sincerely tell her that he loves her.

"What?" Rick questions while in a trance, and his manic state emerges.

In a matter of minutes, the hospital sedates him. When Rick wakes up he is alone in the room, and he can't access his recent memories. He can't think through the drug induces drowsiness.

"Lori?" He calls with his groggy voice, and someone comes to sit by his side.

"It is going to be okay, brother. I got you" Rick blinks because he must be hallucinating, and he does not understand why his stepbrother and best friend is in the room with him.

As far as he knows, Shane monitors the family business in South America from Argentina, and he has not been in the country for the last six years. However, Rick does not know how dire the situation is. Shane had to take the earliest available flight when he received a call from their sister. Since Lori's death, Rick has spent three days in a sedated state, and Maggie could not manage to take care of Rick and the children. Shane had to return from his exile.

"Lori," Rick whispers, and Shane encloses his shaking body in a hug. The tears quickly turn into sobs.

* * *

 **2 months later**

Sweat covers Michonne's forehead, and her voice starts to break after many raw cries. She holds on Sasha's hand until she cuts the blood circulation. She wants to curse his name, but she has done it enough for the last nine month. The room blurs around her as tears fill her eyes. Michonne's back is burning, and her lower abdomen is the centre of hell. She takes a deep breath, and she pushes with as much strength as she can. The drops of sweat sock her baby hair, and her locks stick against her heated cheeks.

"Just one more push, Michonne." The midwife encourages, and Michonne pushes.

She feels exhausted, and she wants to close her legs to stop the pain. Fuck Rick Grimes, Michonne thinks with enough anger to drive her next thrust. Sasha winces when Michonne dugs hole in her hand with her nails. Both women breathe in symbiosis, and tears continue to burn their eyes.

"The head is out. One more, Mimi. One more, Mimi." Sasha shouts with excitement as she sees a patch of hair.

The shoulder twists in a natural movement, and Michonne's son emerges. Sasha gasps at the sight, and she looks up to Michonne. The burn in her hand no longer matter. She encourages Michonne to breathe, and she takes every breath with her best friend.

"Fuck..." Michonne cries in exhaustion, and she closes her legs.

Her body can't take so much labour, but Sasha continues to encourage her.

"You're doing great, Michonne. Keep your legs open." Her obstetrician requests and Michonne complies.

"Mimi, he is almost out." Sasha starts to allow the tears to fall, and nothing can steal her excitement.

"It is a boy," Sasha shouts with complete joy a fact, which they knew months prior, and the cries of the newborn echoes in the room.

Michonne breathes a sigh of relief, and she sinks in the mattress of the theatre room. After a few minutes of activities around her, the midwife brings her baby to Michonne. When his bare skin comes to contact with her, Michonne cries and laughs. She stares at the wrinkle small creature resting on her shoulder, and there is no word to describe her happiness. The moment lasts few second, and Michonne wishes it was an eternity.

They take her baby away and the move her out of the room. Hours later when she emerges from her slumber, Sasha is by her side. There is a bright smile on her lips, and she drags the glass cradle toward Michonne. Sasha helps secure the baby on Michonne's chest, and she sits on the edge of the hospital bed. Silently, they stare at the sleeping newborn. Michonne smiles with so much warmth that Sasha pulls her phone out for a picture.

"What do you want to call him?" Sasha asks

"Andre Williams Barnes." Michonne answers with a small smile "in honour of his godmother."

"Look at him," Sasha says with a quivery voice, and she takes hold of Andre small foot.

"He is gorgeous," Michonne says, and Sasha nods in agreement.

"So small," Sasha says with a voice filled with wonder, and Andre opens his eyes to face the world.

"He is beautiful." Michonne echoes when she catches glimpse of blue between the half-closed lids.

 **Also if you still have a doubt on who is the father's of Lori's child. it is Rick , and some of you were ready to bet a million .**

 **please review**


	3. Chapter 3

**Long overdue update, and thank you for the patience and the reviews.**

 **I don't own the walking dead**

 **Please, review**

* * *

 **Chapter II**

* * *

.

.

Shane pulls the curtain open, and the dust clings to his fingers. The rays of sun expose the room's state of disarray. Shane sighs and he picks the clothes on the floor. He glances at the mass on the bed, which is supposedly a sleeping Rick, and he shakes his head.

Shane doesn't know how to deal with the situation. Two months have passed since Lori's death, and everything has worsened. Rick has steadily allowed the pain to swallow every piece of his mind. With complete isolation and withdrawal, he has closed on himself. Comfort hasn't helped him, and every day, he withdraws from the world more. Two weeks ago, he has quit his job. Shane doesn't remember the last conversation, which they shared. Although, it must have been during Lori's funeral. Since that day, Rick has become a wall of silence.

Shane opens the window to allow the fresh air in, but the stuffiness tightly clings to the atmosphere. The smell is hard to stomach, and the dust saturates every breath, which Shane takes. How Rick can sleep inside this room is a mystery. Everything has collected dust. The frames, which contain the family portrait, are broken, and many pictures are torn.

"At what point of this self-pity party are you going to consider being a father to your daughter?" Shane unceremoniously asks.

The choice of words is harsh, but other methods have failed to stir Rick's mind from the stupor, which followed Lori's death. He grabs the blankets covering Rick, and he throws them to the side. A glance at Rick and Shane can say without a mistake that hygiene is not his brother priority.

Rick looks like death. The muscles on his body have started to waste, but Shane can expect nothing else when Rick hardly eats. His hair has taken a strange shade of brown due to the greasiness, and his skin is slowly drifting toward a greyish shade from dehydration.

"Fuck off, Shane." Rick groans.

He places a hand in front of his sunken eyes to protect his irritated irises from the bright rays of the sun. Rick drags his knee to his chest to keep the cold at bay, and he rolls away from Shane's grip.

"I can't do that until you man up and own up to your responsibilities. Lori wouldn't be proud of the way you're handling her death." Shane exasperatedly responds.

He sits on Rick's bed to prove a point. Shane has given to many chances to Rick to emerge from his period of grief on his terms, and the time has come for an intervention. Rick is literally wasting away.

"I have disappointed her before I'm staying character. Nothang new. " Rick stoically answers.

His disinterest for anything has become a source of concern for his siblings. Rick grabs his bed sheets, and he covers his body. He sinks below the comforting warm layers, and he decides to do what he has done for the last two month. He drowns Shane's voice and ignores the world.

"What is this shit truly about, Rick?" Shane decides to revisit the topic, which Rick has refused to brush.

Perhaps, Rick will finally open up and shares his pain. For the last two months, no one has heard him say anything but monosyllabic answers. His room has become his refuge, and he never leaves that quiet space. Rick's conjugal room has become a mausoleum, and he is trying to turn into his tomb. He might as well as died with Lori.

"Get out, Shane and close the door. I don't want to hear her." Rick demands when baby's cries start to fill his room.

"She, Judith is your fucking daughter." Shane loses his thinning patience, "I don't give a fuck about what you're going through. Two fucking months, we all gave you a break. Two fucking months, you haven't once held your daughter. Two fucking months, you barely acknowledge Carl. So get the fuck out of your bed." Shane shouts.

Once again, he pulls away Rick's bed sheet. Rick doesn't move from his spot, and he doesn't turn to face Shane. He keeps his eyes close, and he attempts to block out Shane's voice and Judith's cry.

"Rick." Shane insists, and he tries to regain his temper.

"Fuck off." Rick quietly demands.

"They are your fucking children. They ain't Maggie's kids or mine. You need to get that through your thick head. They're your blood and flesh." Shane attempts to remind Rick of his responsibilities.

Rick stands from his bed. His body winces in response. He doesn't remember the last time when he has left his bed. His muscles are aching at every step, which he takes. Rick grabs Shane by his arm, and he shoves him toward the door. Rick throws his brother out, and he furiously slams the door.

"I said fuck off, and I mean it."

* * *

 **Paris**

.

.

Michonne worriedly stares at the crib, and she doesn't know what to do next. Andre hasn't stopped to cry from the last two hours, and she is panicking. She has called the paediatrician, but it is four in the morning. The phone endlessly rings, and Michonne becomes incredibly scared.

She doesn't want to rush in the emergency for another false alarm. She has done it seven times in the last six months, and she thinks the nurses have grown tired of her false alert. However, she can't help her anxiety. Andre is so small, and he is usually a quiet child. When he cries endlessly for many hours, Michonne irrationally fears the worst.

Tonight, he is usually cranky and refuses to feed, and so she has started to imagine the worse. So far, she has tried everything, and nothing has worked. He doesn't need simply to burp like the last time, and she has repeatedly tried to make him burp. He doesn't have colic like two months ago. There is no sign of a rash. Michonne has run out of idea on what causes Andre's crankiness. Michonne places her hand against Andre's forehead, and he is feverish.

"Nothing is working?" Michonne laments when Sasha enters Andre's nursery.

Sasha was her first call, and Michonne can't go to the hospital without her best friend. Legally, Sasha is Andre's mother. Michonne's mother, Yvonne insisted to have it done legally. Three hours after Andre's birth, she had the certificate rewritten. Yvonne doesn't want to take the risk of her daughter's dirty secret coming to light because of a birth certificate, but she also wanted to have an advantage on Michonne.

"What is going on?" Sasha quietly asks when she joins Michonne by Andre's crib.

These nights are uncommon occurrences, but they happened enough for Sasha to know that Michonne is overreacting. However, Sasha always allows Michonne to go through the cycle of her anguish. She simply knows that Michonne needs them to cope with her present situation.

"He has been crying for hours, and he has a fever. What if it is something serious… like a cri du chat?" She replies and sends herself in a new panic attack.

"A what?" Sasha confusedly tries to make head and tails of what Michonne says. "Have you been using Google again?" She knowingly concludes.

The nurses and the emergency department aren't the only victims of Michonne's panic. Sasha calmly looks around the room, and she checks Andre's forehead. He has a low-grade fever, but nothing to alarm the entire town. She carefully places her thumb on Andre's lower lip and pulls it down. Andre is five months on his way to six months, and there are things to expect at that age.

Michonne curiously peers behind Sasha's shoulder, and she worries more when she sees the red and swollen gingiva. She looks around the room to retrieve her phone. She needs to call Doctor Denise until she picks up. If Andre's paediatrician doesn't pick up, Michonne intends to call Denise's fiancé, Tara.

"What are you doing, Michonne?" Sasha asks when she doesn't hear her friend.

"I'm calling Tara…" Michonne casually answers.

Sasha rushes to pull the phone from Michonne and hangs up. She shakes her head, and she doesn't know how to react to Michonne's constant panic. It is a great thing that Sasha is a medical resident or the hospital would have banned Michonne the first month after Andre's birth. For every cry, Michonne was ready to mobilize the entirety of la Pitie Salpetriere paediatrician department.

"It is nothing serious. His teeth are erupting." Sasha tells Michonne.

"Are you sure?" Michonne worriedly insists, and she checks her son's temperature.

She has the tendency to go overboard when it concerns Andre. Michonne knows of her irrationality, but she can't prevent it. She tries to silence her guilt from going through Yvonne's plan. Michonne is also trying to fill the void of an absentee parent before Andre can experience it. She doesn't want to make a mistake as a mother, and she wants to be enough for her son.

"Yes, I'm sure." Sasha patiently replies.

She knows what fuels Michonne's overbearing attitude, and she can't blame her friend from trying to compensate for her mistake. Sasha doesn't blame Michonne for their present situation. Aside from the random night calls to take Andre to the emergency, Michonne has done her best not to impose on Sasha's life.

Since their return to Paris, Michonne has found a way to work around Yvonne's restrictions. If she can't be her son's mother in public, she will avoid being in the public light. Since Andre's birth, Michonne has started to live like a recluse. Her interactions with the outside world are minimal. Now, it is convenient because Andre is an infant. Michonne doesn't want to think of the future.

"Here…" She carefully places her finger near the small white line pocking out of Andre's reddened gums. "There aren't totally out." Sasha finishes.

Michonne looks into her son's mouth, and the white line is perfectly visible against the red gums. Her fears quickly dissipate. She turns to face Sasha with a bright teary smile.

"Oh my god…oh my god…I need my camera." Michonne entire demeanour changes.

She rushes out of Andre's nursery, and she goes inside her room to look for the professional camera, which she specifically bought to record each important moment of Andre's life. She runs back inside the nursery, and Sasha laughs at her friend antics. She has never known anyone finding so much joy at being a mother. Michonne has easily fallen into her new role, and she miraculously manages to balance the exigencies of being a mother with her classes.

"Sasha, look at it… It is so cute." Michonne excitedly says, and she has photographed the small bottom tooth a dozen time.

"Everything about little peanut is cute," Sasha responds.

* * *

.

.

The noise fills his room, and Rick is second away from insanity. The number of time, which he has tried, doesn't matter. Every time he hears his daughter cries, he relives that fatidic night when Lori died. Seven months later, the memories haven't faded. He still hears Judith's cry in the background while the reanimation team rushes into the theatre.

"Maggie? Maggie…" Rick calls for his younger sister when Judith's cries become louder.

Since her birth, Maggie, Shane, and Beth have taken turns nurturing Judith. Rick hasn't laid eye on her in the last seven months. He hasn't held her in his arms, and he doesn't know what his daughter looks like. He only associates her with Lori's death. The pain and the frustration, he can't separate those feeling from his breathing daughter. His guilt and needs for flagellation linked to a small being.

"Someone shut her up." Rick frustratedly shouts, and nothing changes.

Half an hour must have passed since Judith started to cry, and so far, no one has succeeded to silence her. No one has replied to Rick's agonizing plea to silence her. The noise unsettles him, and he wants to drown every sound around him. Rick only desires the quiet comfort of his room. He doesn't want to face the world, and he doesn't have the courage to face the world.

"Beth…Beth…" Rick tries his luck with the youngest of his siblings, and there is no answer.

Judith cries are more desperate than before. Rick lies in his bed, and he attempts to ignore the hoarse sound. The tears start to pool in the corner of his eyes, and his emotions are all over the place. He has difficulties breathing, and the walls start to close on him. His heart painfully constricts at each breathy cry, which Judith's releases. The sound is infernal, and he can't stand to hear the anguish in her tears echo his frustration.

"Someone fucking shut her up." Rick furiously shouts, and he shoves his thumbs in his eyelids to prevent the tears from falling.

Nothing happens after his pleading cry of distress, and Judith continues to cry. Rick can no longer stand it, and nothing can block the tormenting echo of Judith's cry. Exhausted, he stumbles from his bed to his door. He has missed so many meals that he feels weightless and dizzy. He needs to hold on walls to take each step. Rick feels nauseous, and his head throbs. He was successfully wasting away.

He manages to reach the living room on his feet, and there is no soul in the room. Rick curses, and he considers sitting the living room until Judith's cries cease. He carelessly throws his body in the couch, and he closes his eyes. Her tears transcend every barrier and echo on walls. Nothing dampens their intensity, and Rick's head will implode if no one silences her. Her cries are oppressive. Rick switches on the TV to drown his daughter cries. However, he can hear those cries above every sound. Judith's cries assault his mind, and the pain pours out the crevices of his heart. The tears fall against his stubborn resistance.

Desperate and terrified, he rises from the couch. With hesitant steps, Rick walks toward Judith's nursery. He draws a deep breath, and he pushes the door. The cries are louder, and he is transported back to the cold corridor. The air no longer smells like baby talk and lotions, but it smells like peroxide and bleach. He remembers glancing at the theatre's room. He remembers the flaccid hands and the yellow biohazard bag filled to the top with bloody gauzes. Rick's stomach twists, but he hasn't had a decent meal in days. Therefore, it is a futile attempt to vomit.

Rick looks back at the door, and he wants to backtrack. The cries are louder and louder. He is terrified and frozen on the spot. Rick draws as much air as he can, and he moves toward the crib.

"Hello…" He tentatively starts to speak.

He is afraid to look inside. He is afraid to face his guilt. The breathing and crying proof of his wrongdoing. His hands close around the crib, and his knuckles are pale. He has never held on anything so tightly.

"Stop crying…please…stop crying…please…please…please…" Rick pleads with his daughter until he is the one in tears.

Piece by piece, he crumbles. Each of Judith's cry feels like a stone thrown at him. They hit him hard until he can't tolerate the pain. Rick wipes his tears, and without facing her, he attempts to pat Judith. Somewhere, he has a thought stuck in a loop. He doesn't deserve her. The tears slowly subdue, and Judith grabs on Rick's hand. She shoves his fingers in her mouth, and he feels the saliva spills on his hand. Her small teeth tentatively chew along Rick's fingertips.

Rick panics because only God knows the last time when he washed his hands. Finally, he turns to face her and pry his hands away from her exploring tongue. When Rick's fingers leave Judith's mouth, the cries restart. Rick freezes, but this time, the reason behind is sudden paralysis is not fear or guilt.

Looking at her quiets Rick's mind. She is so small, and her eyes are so big. She is gorgeous, and she has a set of powerful lungs. Judith hurls, but her tears are no longer so haunting. Rick's heart beats faster, and he is slightly sweating. He is rightfully afraid. He is falling in love, and it is an abrupt fall.

"I'm here….da…" Rick doesn't dare to finish his statement.

He picks up Judith, and he carefully manoeuvres until she is safely in his arms with her head resting on his chest. He starts quietly to pace back and forth until Judith is comfortable in his arms. She grabs his t-shirt and sucks on it. Rick looks at her in awe while she coos and chirps. He finds a spot on the ground and leans against the wall with Judith comfortably nested in his arms. He rocks her back and forth until she falls asleep.

"Daddy is here." Rick confidently whispers "I'm here…daddy is here."

* * *

 **Paris**

.

.

Michonne stares at Andre's sleeping form, and their reality never weighted on her before tonight. She never anticipated the word to shake her to the core. Her reality crumbled with unexpected speed. A small child caprice and Andre doesn't know the meaning behind the word.

"Pa…pa…papa." He hesitantly demanded.

Small fists reaching for nothing, and she stood frozen in his room. Michonne can't explain what brought it. Perhaps, he must have caught the word on TV. The word led to a tantrum, and for the first time, Michonne felt inadequate in her role as a mother. Ultimately, Andre fell asleep, but he left behind a haunted Michonne.

Almost three years, she has spared thoughts here and there to Rick Grimes. Tonight, she only thinks of him. The time has done a poor job at healing her. The wound still bleeds pain and frustration. Somewhere around that wound and a broken heart, love continues to fester. Fondness continues to cling to memories of Rick.

Michonne pushes her dreadlocks away from her face, and she tries to hold the tears. Crying for Rick Grimes is an ultimate proof of stupidity. Although, she has managed to remain stupidly attach to the idea of loving him. She stares at her son, and she feels as if she would never completely forget. She can't forget when she faces Andre's eyes every day.

Michonne picks her phone, and she doesn't remember the time difference. She shouldn't pass the call, but she stares at Andre. His voice clings to her mind, and her pain is inconsequential to the situation. He is eighteen months; and one day, he will ask to know about his father.

"Hi, I would like to speak to professor Grimes," Michonne says when her call ultimately goes through.

"A minute, please." Her interlocutor asks.

Michonne's heart gallops. Her emotions have a broad spectrum. She swings between emotional extreme from anxiety to excitement. The excitement to hear the velvet of his voice and the fear to hear that same voice sternly reject and deny what happened between them. The anger, which resurfaces with each passing second. It feels like a bad idea and another stupid impulse like the one, which pushed her in arms. Michonne is about to hang up when the person on the other side speaks up

"I'm truly sorry…" Michonne's heart alt and she silently waits for her interlocutor to continue, "Professor Grimes stopped working eighteen months ago right after the birth of his daughter. If the situation is something of importance, we will try to contact him on your behalf." She finishes speaking.

Michonne has heard what she needed to hear. Those were beautiful hope, but reality always swiftly deals with naïve hopes. She will never make that mistake again. He has a happy family, and she has a son, who has to grow up in the anonymity and secret because she made the informed mistake to start an affair with him.

"It won't be necessary."

* * *

Shane places a bottle of beer in front of Rick, and he slides on the other side of the coach. The football game is on, but Rick reduces the sound because Judith has fallen asleep on his lap. Only one thing can be said about the father and daughter duo, they are attached by the hip.

Since Judith has learned to walk, she follows Rick or Carl everywhere. Although, she has a marked preference for her father. She clings on Rick, and he is better on the matters. As the days pass, Judith is turning in a daddy's girl. She has grown too big to fit on laps, and she slightly slides down his laps.

"Give me a minute," Rick asks, and he picks his daughter up.

A minute turns into half an hour, and Shane knows what has Rick busy. He leaves the couch and takes Rick's beer with him. He stands at the door of Judith's room because he doesn't want to invade the privacy of Rick and his children. Judith always asks for a story before her nap, and she must have woken up when Rick took her to her room.

Carl has the storybook in hands, and he is reading the fairytales. Judith is now wide-awake, and expecting to watch the football game is now pointless. Shane waits for Carl to read the last line, and he steps into the room. He quickly hugs his nephew, and he tickles Judith.

"I see someone woke up," Shane says as he lifts Judith up.

"Uncle Shane you're back." Judith struggles with the words.

She has started to become familiar with a proper language, but she is three years old. She giggles when Shane tickles her harder.

"Yep, you miss me…" Shane asks with a big smile, and Judith nods.

"How much?" He asks to entertain a giggling Judith while he spins her around the room.

"This much." Judith extends her arm wide open as soon as Shane returns her to the bed.

"That is why you're my princess." Shane kisses Judith's cheek while she frowns in confusion.

"I'm daddy's princess." She indignantly corrects her uncle, and she crosses her arms to appear serious.

"Yes, my princess only." Rick kisses her forehead, and Judith bursts into a giggle fit as Rick tickles her.

"My favourite nephew" Shane pulls Carl in a crushing embrace.

"I'm your only nephew, you don't have a choice," Carl replies unfazed, but he returns his uncle hug.

"Why do all your children have a smart mouth?" Shane teasingly asks.

"She takes after him." Rick points between his children.

* * *

 **Paris**

.

.

Sasha had to leave her date, and she is obviously stand out in her outfit. Michonne is in her pyjama, and tears stain her face. Her hurriedly twisted in a bun and her hands haven't stopped shaking since she made it to the hospital. Sasha takes her hand, and they intertwine their fingers.

Michonne had to wait half an hour for Sasha to come, and she can only be mad at herself. She can't be angry with Sasha for living her life, and she can't be angry with the medical personnel for making their job. They sit side by side in the waiting area. Michonne's headrest on Sasha's one.

The silence is heavy, and they have no access to Andre. Everything happened so abruptly. One second, Andre was peacefully sleeping on the couch while Michonne continues to peruse her foreign politics note. The next second, Andre was struggling for each breath. Michonne doesn't know what is wrong with her son. Now, she wishes it were one of the false alarms, which she used to have when Andre was an infant. However, she drove him unconscious to the hospital. She wipes her tears, and she tries to quiet her mind.

Since they took her son inside the emergency's room, Michonne hasn't been able to see Andre. She isn't his legal mother nor is she his legal guardian. She has carried him for nine months, and she isn't his mother out of the four walls of their apartment. She has felt him move inside her stomach, but she can't take him to the hospital without Sasha by her side. Michonne is not Andre's legal mother. It doesn't matter how much she tries to remedy to the situation. He is her family dirty secret.

"Who is the mother?" The nurse asks as she comes out of the emergency room where they took Andre.

"I'm…" Michonne stops herself before the word leaves her lips. "She is." She quietly responds.

Michonne looks at Sasha, and her anger with herself is misdirected. Tears slowly fill her reddened eyes. The night has been long and terrifying. Everything is overwhelming, and Michonne is afraid for her unconscious son, who she can't follow in the emergency room because she isn't his mother. She had to wait half an hour to get a grip of Sasha, and those thirty minutes could have cost Andre's life.

"I'm his mother." Sasha stands up with an uncertain glance directed at Michonne.

She never had to use her legal title in a moment of intensity. Aside from enrolling him in kindergarten, Sasha never had to take over Michonne's role. So far, she was always aunty 'Shasha'. She would occasionally babysit when Yvonne forces Michonne out of her reclusion. Sasha would occasionally take him to the doctor for his check-up, but Michonne would always be by her side.

Tonight, everything is different. Michonne shouldn't be sitting on a hard metal seat in the emergency waiting room. Michonne should be by Andre's side, but she has no legal right to be. He doesn't matter that he is calling for her. He doesn't matter than Michonne's heart is breaking. Ultimately, the weight of what she agreed to hits Sasha.

"Okay, are you Pacs or married?" The nurse continues her questioner.

"No… She is a friend." Sasha replies because Michonne has succumbed to distress.

"We will have to ask you to wait out. Only parents or direct family are allowed in." The nurse says to Michonne, and she can only nod.

"Take care of him …," Michonne quietly requests.

"I will keep you updated," Sasha replies as she follows the nurse.

….

….

…..

Michonne is in a state of anguish worse than the one before Andre's delivery. An hour has passed, and Sasha hasn't come out of the room. Michonne has had several heart attacks after all the anxious thoughts, which she has conjured. She stares at the door between her son and her until Sasha comes out.

"Is he okay?" Michonne desperately asks when Sasha finally steps out of the room.

"He had an asthma attack," Sasha replies, and she takes Michonne in her arms. "The doctor needs his family history, and I can't give an answer for you or for the father." Sasha pursues.

"You shouldn't have too." Michonne quietly answers.

The night weights on Michonne, and she has come to many conclusions. Sasha has done everything in her power to help her best friend. Michonne can only be thankful, but she can't continue to use Sasha like a blanket of safety. Her mistake and her consequences are hers to deal with it. They silently come to an agreement.

"I said that I will help, but Andre wasn't asking for me." Sasha apologetically says, and she can't explain how heartbreaking the last hour was.

She can't tell Michonne how her three-year-old godson hurls his long out to have his mother by his side, but Sasha doesn't have to say a word. The walls are thin, and Michonne had to fight her instinct every time Andre called for her with-agonizing cry. Michonne is exhausted. She is heartbroken.

"He was afraid when they tried to intubate him, and he was asking for his mother. I tried and he didn't want to hold my hand. He wanted his mother, and that is you. I can't deal with this, and I'm sorry." Sasha finishes in tears.

"You've nothing to be sorry about, Sasha." Michonne wipes Sasha's tears, and she draws a deep breath to stop her own wave of tears, "You held my hand and helped beyond what was necessary. In the end, he is my son, and I don't want to be in a waiting room when I should be in with him." Michonne wipes her own tears.

She can't any longer hide her son, and she will deal with the consequences. Yvonne will probably attempt to crush her, but Michonne is ready for a fight. She will fight for Andre.

"You can go check on him. He is stable now." Sasha says when she gets a handle of her emotions.

"Thank you, Sasha. I mean thank you for everything and the sacrifices. I will handle it from now. It was my choices. Andre is my son." Michonne confidently informs her friend.

"You're going to do fine on your own. You've done it so far."

* * *

Rick has put Judith to bed, and he had the fright of his life. Judith fell on the stair and cut herself. Fortunately, there was no true harm. There was a lot of cry and blood, but no bone was broken. Now, she is peacefully sleeping, and Rick is still afraid. He hasn't watched her sleep since she was an infant, but tonight; he needs the assurance that she is fine.

"You're getting a handle at it," Shane says as he knocks at the door of Judith's room.

Rick had to call on him to watch Carl while he rushed to the Hospital. Rick looks at Judith, and he has so many questions and regrets. Although, he has greatly improved in his ability to raise two children. Shane's constant visits have helped in the process. The poor man lives between planes, but there is a tacit agreement in Rick's family. Someone always needs to watch over Rick. After his depression following Lori's death, they all want to avoid a relapse. When Shane is in Bueno Aires, Beth steps in or Maggie. Although, Maggie has moved to Paris for work.

"She is beautiful," Rick says in awe.

"If you looked her way after her birth, you would have known. She is gorgeous." Shane corrects, and there is always the weight of the unsaid.

Three years later, Rick continues to keep his secret. There is always that pain radiating from him, but he has a better handle of his emotions.

"I know losing Lori was hard, but you ain't have the right to check out on everybody. I get it you can shut me out or do it with Maggie, but they are your kids. Your responsibility. I don't care how bad you thought you had it. It took you seven months to come around." Shane doesn't possess Maggie's subtlety.

He blatantly says what each of Rick's sibling wishes to say. They all know how Rick felt about Lori, and as offensive, as it sounds, they don't believe he loves her that hard. Therefore, his depression came as a surprise. Rick took the bullet to right the family finance when he married Lori. Sometimes a corporates' merge stands on the steadier ground if both parties are on equal ground. Shane wouldn't have done it, and Rick has a self-sacrificing nature.

"I never found it in me to love her." Rick quietly says and he sighs.

"Judith?" Shane asks as the confession comes as a surprise.

Nothing sounds more like a lie than Rick claiming not to love his daughter. He lives for Judith and Carl. The rocky start doesn't take away from his growth as a father.

"Lori…Lori… Lori." Rick says with a voice carrying guilt.

He doesn't know why he needs finally to speak on the subject. That truth is hardly a secret. Everyone close to Rick could tell how he felt for Lori. There was admiration, a friendly adoration, but no passionate love.

"I tried to hide it, and I tried to love Lori. I don't know why, but I couldn't each time I tried. Until the end, I couldn't really love her beyond friendship." Rick laments and the guilt continues to exist.

Lori was easy to love, and he tried as long as he could. Rick simply couldn't force it to happen. The harder he tried; it became more obvious that he couldn't love her. Shane looks around, and he needs to sit. He didn't anticipate this outcome when he chose to confront Rick.

"I would pray that she leaves because I could not be a man who leaves his wife and children." Rick continues and blinks away the tears threatening to fall.

"Rick?" Shane inquires when the silence abruptly returns.

The emotional outpouring was never Rick and Shane's forte. Rick shares his feeling with Maggie, and with Shane, he did everything else. However, the event following Lori's death changed the dynamic.

"I had them ready…The divorce paper… toyed with the thought until it became necessary to leave. Until she happened…" Rick is almost lost in his mind, and he simply speaks because he needs to understand how he fell so low.

"I no longer wanted to try or hide it that I didn't love her. I was ashamed not to love Lori. I couldn't be that type of man. I couldn't stop, and every time, I will have the speech ready. I wanted to tell her that it wasn't her fault, but I simply couldn't love her or matter of fact I didn't believe I could love anyone. Shit happens, and well, shit truly happens." He laughs in derision, and nothing summarizes the situation better than shit happens.

"Okay…" Shane scratches his head, and he doesn't know how to process many things, which he suspected, now that he has a confirmation

Shane knew it was stupid for Rick to agree with his father's suggestion. They treated everything like a business transaction, and Rick carried his detachment into his marriage. Both parties were happy.

"I truly thought that I couldn't love anyone, and maybe it was why I didn't divorce. Lori was how far I could aim for love. Simple and known feeling." Rick digs deeper into his dynamic with his wife, and the weight of his guilt refuses to disappear.

Confessing doesn't wipe the sin. He is simply shedding light to his succession of mistakes.

"I have heard worst stories." Shane attempts to alleviate the tension in the room.

"If it had ended there, I would have made it work. A fucking student. Lost my mind at the worst time. It happened at the wrong time. A succession of dumb decisions. One day, I'm trying to create boundaries. Flashing my wedding band in her face. Installing strong boundaries and asking to get assigned a new class assistant…" Rick stops to check on Judith, who winces in pain.

Rick carefully repositions his daughter, and so she no longer lies on her wounded arm. Shane puts his brother's confession together, and he stares at Rick. For a second, it seems impossible to Shane. Rick never loved Lori, but he didn't look in another direction for years.

"You dipped your dick in a student. Fucking big deal." Shane tries to trivialize the situation.

"I wish it was a quick angry fuck. Could have been or It started as one. She marched in my office demanding an explanation for being assigned a new supervisor. Demanded an answer. I truly don't know what made me tell her the truth. She is going on about how she gives her best, and she wants the best teacher. Fucking gorgeous and angry. I have never met anyone so pretty. You know mama said it best. A beauty that stops the heart and the brain, stay away from those." His mind stalls on the thought.

He hasn't thought of Michonne in a month, and he has gotten better at keeping her in the back of her mind. Sometimes, he will randomly remember a detail, which made her unique. His day will be ruined, and he will go through the motion.

"I looked at her in the eyes and told her 'Miss Barnes, I do have your best interest at heart. Nothing could be more unethical and damaging to your education than keeping you under my tutelage when I'm sexually attracted to you.' I was so tired of holding it." He stills sounds ridiculous five years later.

"Okay…Euh…Whoa." Shane is speechless.

"You can say it. I'm a hypocrite. In one breath, I was being all moralist. In the next breath, I was letting her kiss me. My only protest was a weak 'Miss Barnes, it is highly inappropriate.' I didn't stop her hand reaching for my dick. I didn't give a fuck I was married. I thought about the consequences for her. Tried to give her a dissuasive speech about the unbalances of power. It must have been convincing when I was passionately pulling off her clothes." Rick continues to pull his skeleton out of the closet.

"If it had ended up there I could have managed. Fuck one time and go your separate way." He passes his hand in his hair.

"Idiot… of course you had too…It is you." Shane connects the remaining dots.

Rick wouldn't cheat on Lori if he weren't in love. His brother was a specific type of moralist idiot. Duty placed before personal interest, and he would act out of character if he weren't blinded by love. Desire, Rick could manage to ignore it. Love, he wouldn't see it coming.

"I loved Michonne, and maybe it is why I didn't try to stop Lori. I needed a reason not to run back to Michonne. I needed my loss to mean something. I could have fought Lori harder and convince her to abort, but I lost Michonne because I had to self-sacrifice to keep my family happy. Lori was going to have a child, and suddenly I was able to remember that I had a wife. It didn't last. I continued to miss Michonne and checked out of marriage." Finally, he reaches the core of his guilt.

"I don't think Lori wants her daughter raised by a piece of shit. I don't think I deserve her daughter. Although, I love Judith and I'm trying. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I have that thought. I let her risk her life because I needed a reason to stay away from my mistress. I need Lori to be pregnant, and so I could continue to be dutiful and a good man." Rick confesses, and the guilt hasn't disappeared.

"That is bullshit explain in a lot of words." Shane sighs.

"Listen, do I believe that you are an utter piece of shit. Yes, but I started to believe it when your answer to dad pressuring you to marry was 'I can tolerate Lori'." Shane openly shares his mind.

"Do I believe that you're utter shit for dipping your dick in a student? The jury is in deliberation on that one. I'm kind of proud in a twisted way that's every man fantasy, and I would say you were two constant adults. You both decided to act on your selfish needs. She isn't completely innocent. If her response to your attempt to be ethical was to fuck you, I'm sure she consented." Shane tries to ease the tension.

He doesn't believe Rick carries the blame alone for his liaison. If she was informed that he was married, and she managed to overlook it, his student deserves to be crucified alongside him. Two constants adult, who chose to be selfish. Shane could care less for his brother's affair.

"Does that make you undeserving of Judith? No, you stepped in, and you're working through it. Perhaps, you need to leave this mess behind. Look, I'm going back again for work. I can't keep coming check on you every two months. Dad is worried too. You can come with me to Buenos Aires and start afresh." Shane suggests, and he believes Rick has to move on from his past.

* * *

 **Paris**

.

.

She sits in the room full of other candidates, and Michonne truly needs this job. She has taken the decision to come out with the truth about Andre to her father. She needs a stable income to be able to regain her maternal right, and Sasha will be able to denunciate her legal right on Andre.

Therefore, for the last three months, Michonne has tried to find a job with a decent salary. She has gone through a few interviews, and she had rejected some offers. However, this is her best offer so far. It is an international firm with bilateral relations between France and the United States of America. The overall aspect is perfect because it will highly improve her profile. For anyone groomed in the hope to walk in the world of politics, there is a need to be high profile.

"Michonne Barnes?" The receptionist calls aloud, and the heads rise in hope.

Michonne stands and she heads toward the receptionist's desk. The clicking sounds of her heels lead her heartbeat. She needs this job to rectify her mistake. She stops in front of the desk, and the receptionist curiously glances at her. There is a form of recognition. Michonne is no longer as public as she used to be, but she goes to anything of importance concerning her father's political career.

"I'm Miss Barnes." Michonne doesn't allow the look to unsettle her.

"Great, Today should be your first day, and we will assign you a partner. In your CV, it was mentioned that you're fluent in English and had studied a semester in the U.S." The receptionist glances through her notes.

Michonne is surprised, and she had sent her CV with the hope to get an interview. Although, as the daughter of the prime minister, nepotism is inevitable. She can't be angry now, and she needs this job.

"Yes, I did." She responds.

The receptionist stands, and she asks Michonne to follow her. They enter the elevator, and they head for the top floors.

"Good, we have an international branch and you can help as a link. We will partner you with one of our other young lawyer Glenn Rhee." The receptionist quickly briefs Michonne about her new position, and it is a higher calibre than Michonne expected.

"Mr Rhee, this is Miss Barnes, your junior partner."

* * *

 **Bueno Aires**

 **.**

 **.**

Buenos Aires is nothing like what Rick anticipated, but it holds all the promise that Shane made. There is a certain freedom to live in a place where he has no memory clinging on the streets and places. He has quickly found a position as a head of criminology department in a prestigious university.

Rick's life has slowly retrieved his balance, which is the reason why Shane is pestering him. Rick sighs and he quietly listens to his brother.

"Maybe, you should return to the market. Judith is four and Carl is ten." Shane enthusiastically says, and Rick doesn't like what he reads in his brother's eye.

"Shane, forget about it." Rick dismisses him, and he sips on his beer.

Every time Shane visits his brother, he tries to force a date on Rick. Four years later, the mourning period no longer stands.

"Are you going to pine for your naughty student all your life? If you aren't going to run after her, why keep this from other women." Shane says with his usual lack of decorum.

Rick shakes his head. He is not ready to go out there and pretend that he can love anyone the way that he loved Michonne. Sometimes, he thinks he still might be in love with her. Some random night, he has the impulse to search for her, but he never does.

"Shane? I haven't complained about shit." Rick laments, and Shane's insistence exhausts him.

"Yeah... but you need to get laid just to keep the engine working," Shane responds

"When I fill the need to get my dick wet, I will let you know." Rick deadpans unimpressed by his brother antics.

"I got you covered…" Shane taps on Rick's back as he stands to leave.

"Shane?" Rick senses the trap, and he knows his brother.

"Don't worry just lay back and use your hand to keep in shape. She is hot and it is next week at 8 p.m."

* * *

 **Paris**

 **.**

 **.**

Until tonight, Michonne thought that she knew her mother wrath, but she was wrong. Yvonne's fury consumes everything on its path, but it is imperceptible on the surface. She quietly sits by her husband as Michonne speaks of Andre.

"I can't, bebe." Michonne's father, Michel is in shock.

As a very mild man, he doesn't shout, but his eyes say all that needs to be said. He looks at his daughter, and he can't understand.

"I know you're disappointed that I could fall pregnant out of wedlock…" Michel raises his hand to interrupt his daughter.

"Do you really think that the problem is that you were pregnant out of wedlock? You think I'm disappointed over a trivial detail not the four years of secrecy. How could you hide something so important from your mother and me? Have I raised you to fear me? Yvonne. .. I can't." Michel can't sit, and he can't stomach the news.

"I'm way too angry to finish this conversation without saying things, which I will regrets. I'm indeed disappointed, and I won't isolate you more than you have done yourself. I can't…I can't… Talk to your mother. I need time to digest the news." Michel leaves the room.

"Are you satisfied? Are you pleased by the problem, which you created?" Yvonne quietly asks.

She carefully cuts through her steak. Yvonne is all about images. As long as there is someone watching, she never loses her temper. They might be in the safety hotel de Matignon, but government worker crawls around the place.

"Do you know what your father is about to destroy because of you? We both know he will embrace your bastard with open arms." Yvonne sternly says.

Michonne flinches at the way her mother refers to her son, and She is about to defend him when Yvonne raises her hand to stop her. Andre is technically, what she calls him, and she doesn't intend to retract her statement. There is no need to waste time on semantics. Yvonne sips on her wine to clear the taste of beef.

"Do you know the sacrifices, which we did to reach this level? Do you know from how low we started?" Yvonne uses the papal we to refer to everyone who works through a glorious future for her daughter.

"Mother, I understand, but he is my son. I'm not hiding him anymore." Michonne finds the courage to speak up.

"Your great grandfather, he came to France with nothing but stubbornness and the name of his colonial master. The same name, which means something today, and the name, which opens the door for you. He hardly knew how to speak French." Yvonne quiet speech perfectly hides the fury in her eyes.

"I know the story." Michonne stubbornly says.

Her defiance infuriates Yvonne to the point of insanity. The cutleries hit the ceramic plate. She places her hand flat on the table, and Yvonne fights the impulse to reach for the idiot, which she birthed.

"But do you know the sacrifice behind it. Do you understand what a scandal like yours mean? You aren't white. The history of your family isn't as old as the one of France. Your ancestors aren't the great Gallic. Your great grandfather was an immigrant who came after world war two to built roads for French people. Cheap labour… Every franc put toward his son education. You will destroy that." Her quiet accusation makes Michonne falters.

The truth can be disarming when the narrative no longer fixates on how glorious it was for the Barnes to be this high in society. When the tales share the stain on the perfect image, the truth scares.

"Every cent for his son not to scrap the floor. Your grandfather is brilliant. He still made it a senator, but he couldn't make it far enough. Therefore, your father came along. Where do you fit in this history of sacrifice? Where is your brick to the edifice?" Yvonne questions

"I sacrificed what I could .more sacrifice every step forward. I didn't marry your father out of love. I married a vision, and I had you because you could go where he couldn't go. You destroyed it all, and he is going to sabotage himself for your bastard." Yvonne takes a sip of her wine.

Her hand closes around the tablecloths, and the only sign of her anger is her grip on it. She keeps her countenance for the staff, and Michonne knows better than to shed a tear.

"If Mitterrand a white man had to hide his child to please these people, what do you think they will ask of you, a black woman? If Sarkozy had to hide his divorce before the election what do you think they will ask of you, a black woman. They are going to use you to shame my husband, who sacrificed everything for your name to be more than a reminder of a colonial master. You're going to destroy a generation of sacrifices and hard work. I won't let you do it, and I won't let your father do the same. You're going to learn the value of sacrifice." Yvonne says with a menacing tone and the façade breaks.

"I'm not going to give up my child." Michonne refuses to be intimidated again.

She refuses to sit in an emergency room while her son is calling for her. She refuses to let Yvonne shame her for not doing her duty to the family. She will hold her position, and she weathers the storm

"Then you're going to give up something else or I will take that child from you. If I have publicly to disown you, so be it. Break your father heart; show him how deeply he failed with you. I will ruin your life and live you wishing to have never come out of my womb." Yvonne stoically says.

All maternal emotion has disappeared, and she is ready to crush the threat that Michonne represent to the success of her husband. She is Michel, and she isn't content with Matignon. Yvonne looks through her purse, and she drags an envelope. She knew that date would come. Michonne doesn't have her spine. Michonne is her father's daughter.

"Do what you want. I will lose everything for my son." Michonne doesn't back down.

"Do you think that don't know the child who I raised? Do you think I didn't foresee this happening? Here…" Yvonne pushes the envelope toward Michonne.

Michonne opens it, and she reads the pages. Her demand to regain maternal right for her son is rejected, and Sasha no longer has any legal right on Andre. The sole legal guardian of her son is Yvonne.

"I didn't love your father. We all made sacrifices. You will do your part or I swear I will take your son away. I will have him thrown in the system jumping from home to home. He will live a miserable life, and I will see to it. Every ounce of power, which I hold in this country, will be put in that effort. Try me Michonne. Destroy what I worked for, and I will ruin everything that you hold dear. " Michonne's tears fall after every word.

"What do you want?" Michonne desperately asks.

"I will talk to your father said that you agreed to reconcile with the child's father. Young lover quarrel." Yvonne pushes a handkerchief toward her daughter, and she disapproves the lack of restraint.

"He is married, I can't tell him, and I won't tell him. Andre is my son." Michonne argues.

"I didn't intend to include his biological father, and I don't want you to have any association with that man. There are many ambitious young men ready to climb the lather up, and you're in a favourable position of power." Yvonne dismisses her daughter's refusal.

"Men have raised sons, who weren't theirs. Women have married for many reasons that weren't loved. There is nothing new to your situation. Until I find a suitable candidate, refrain from parading your child around Paris." Yvonne pushes her plate away, and she rises from her chaise.

"Mother…" Michonne doesn't know what to say.

"We all made sacrifices for our family's sake…"


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the reviews**

 **I don't own the walking dead**

 **please, review**

* * *

 **Chapter III**

* * *

As the seconds fade, Rick starts to regret taking Shane's advice to return to the dating market. He knows his brother means well, but he doesn't feel ready to jump into anything. Prior to Michonne, Rick started to believe that love wasn't a thing meant for him. He simply had a certain detachment to a relationship, and his emotional restraint made it easy to marry Lori. Therefore, when Michonne happened, he didn't know how to deal with all he felt.

Now, the situation is different. He knows how it feels to be in love, and the knowledge makes it hard to return to normalcy. Although, he has to try tonight because Shane has ambushed him. He quickly finger-combs his hair as he makes it to the table of the bar, which Shane believes to be the appropriate venue for a date. In truth, the bar is smoky and dark. Shane is definitely trying to get Rick laid.

"You must be Rosita," Rick says a form a greeting when he finally locates the table amidst the layer of different smoke.

Rick looks around, and he is uncomfortable with the crowd. The music is too loud, and Rick will rather be on his sofa watching a soccer game while Judith and Carl decide who can be the loudest. He has to see through layers of smoke, and his eyes start to itch. He has no idea what Shane tried to achieve, but he hopes that blindness wasn't the aim.

"You must be Rick. Shane didn't exaggerate." Rosita replies with a languorous smile, which Rick returns with a stern smirk.

Rick sits at the table, and he calls for the waiter. He is not ready to start a conversation nor is he eager to spend his time into an ashtray. The silence stretches as soon as the waiter leaves, and Rick stares at his beer. He knew it was a bad idea. He has copies to grade. He has a class to prepare for his fourth-year students. To summarize, he will rather be anywhere than in this table.

"This is awkward…" Rosita breaks the silence with a long sigh, and she glances at Rick expecting an answer.

"Sorry…" He does not know what to say to make the moment less heavy and awkward, "I'm not really into the entire thing or …you." He deadpans without a second thought.

Rick takes a minute to realize the rudeness of his statement. He needs to spend less time with Judith and more time with adults. He is clearly picking up her bluntness and lack of filter. Rosita cocks an eyebrow, and Rick doesn't know how to come back from that statement.

"Okay …Euh …okay." Rosita finds herself speechless.

What is the adequate answer for honesty? She settles on a simple smile and confusion. Rick feels bad for his lack of tact, and he starts profusely to apologize.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way... I have a four-year-old daughter, and her lack of filter is rubbing off on me… I didn't mean it in that way… This is awkward," Rick stops trying to fix the situation, and he swallows the next set of embarrassing excuses.

He grabs his bottle of beer, and he takes the longest sip possible to quiet himself. He peers at Rosita, and she doesn't look as offended as she should be. A small smile spreads across her lips, and the smile turns into a genuine laugh. His embarrassing rambling excuses have an unexpected effect.

"It was awkward, but I think it is a tiny bit better now." She reassures Rick.

He looks at her, and Rick must admit she is gorgeous. Very typical beauty, but still gorgeous enough to make a man feel in her presence. Rick relaxes, and her laugh is contagious. He soon joins her.

"I truly didn't mean it that way. You're gorgeous, and being into you is the natural course of action…but I'm here under duress because Shane is taking pity on my recluse lifestyle," Rick finishes with a lot more ease.

"Apology accepted." She says as her laugh progressively dies.

Rosita takes a sip of her rum coke, and she taps on Rick's hand to assure him that his honesty didn't hurt her.

"We have one thing in common already. We're both here under duress. Truthfully, Shane insisted. You're handsome, and I thought I could give you a chance," Rosita explains.

"Don't tell me that he made me look like some charity case and begged you to help me." Rick questions half-serious and half-teasing.

Rick wouldn't put it past Shane to make him sound like a desperate man in need of love. Rick lack of sexual life has monopolized Shane's focus, and incidentally, Rick has started to question his celibacy. With two children, social life hasn't been Rick's priority.

Contrary to what Shane might fear, Rick isn't going through another depression. The sexual aspect of his life has decreased because he has a demanding toddler and not because he has no desire. Rick has moments when he is horny. However, he hasn't reached the point of despair.

"Believe me I'm not here out of pity, far from it. He did get me here under false pretences. I don't think I'm the one who you could actually connect with tonight." She corrects Rick misconception.

"Shane is really a poor matchmaker. I don't think that you're interested in a college professor, who is also a widower with two demanding children. Are you?" Rick says with a touch of derision.

The date isn't the catastrophe, which he anticipated it to be, but it is also far from a success. Rick has no idea how Shane thought this could amount to anything. Although, after this, he can convince Shane to leave his love life alone.

"He lured me with your looks, but we're definitely on a different lane. I'm not searching for anything serious, and with two children, I assume that you must be after a wife and a mother for them. The college professor thing actually won you some points. We all have fantasies about a teacher, who looks as good as you do," Rosita saucily says, and her glance at Rick betrays how she feels. " I mean…" She runs her tongue along her lower lip with a subtle sensuality.

A serious relationship may not interest Rosita, but Rick Grimes has her attention. Rick doesn't miss it, and he gives it a thought. The last woman with whom he had sex was Michonne, and Five years is a long period of abstinence. Rick is flesh, and the flesh is weak and demanding.

"You got that a bit wrong. I'm definitely not searching for a wife, and the fun part can be tempting... Hearing those fantasies sounds even more tempting," Rick seductively suggests.

There is a second of silence when the tension increases. Rick hopes that he didn't wrongfully interpret what Rosita said. He considers apologizing for his forwardness. Although, he perfectly feigns nonchalance. Rosita checks Rick, and she tries to assess him. Rick is on the verge to apologize when Rosita rises from her chair, and she extends her hand for Rick to take.

"So you want fun… I can suggest something if you like."

….

….

….

Rick is going with the flow, and he hardly makes it through the door with Rosita running her mouth on his neck. He tries to drown the thoughts, but they return with vengeance. His memories resurface at every caress by Rosita, and he will rather have other hands on him. He eagerly wishes that other lips were adorning his jaws with kisses.

He doesn't like the sloppiness of Rosita's kiss. He doesn't like her assertiveness. He doesn't like how her tongue twists, and there are too many teeth. The amount of passion, which he throws in the kiss, is to silence the complaint of his mind. He pushes Rosita into a wall, and he tempers her ardours with slower kisses. Although, he regrets that mistake, as he starts to compare every detail to standards, which are unfairly set.

Rosita doesn't taste right. Her moans are too guttural. Her skin is more on the salty side, and the texture isn't the same. When his finger run along Rosita's arm, the scent of lilac doesn't cling on them. As hard as he tries to prevent the idea to take over his mind, the thought engrains itself in every sulcus of Rick's mind.

"Oh…yeah." Rosita moans when Rick's mouth explores her neck, and his fingers start to push her collar away from her neck.

Again, the sound of her moan distracts Rick. The need in them is too needy. Her hands aren't holding his shoulder the way they should. Her waist is too wide, and Rick could go on with every that it is imperfect. She doesn't feel as if she was made solely for him to hold. His mind possesses a standard of perfection. Rosita doesn't fit the mould, and he doesn't want to think about it.

Rick wants slow kisses with precise tongue strokes. He wants her lips. He wants her taste. Sweetness with a hint of spice intoxicating him at every taste. Rick wants her scent saturating the air and clinging to his skin. He always ended up smelling like dry lilac and vanilla orchids. He wants the skin under the tip of his finger to feel like satin or the yellow river trade silk. Rick doesn't want to let the thought invade his mind, but the words are coming together to formulate it. He wants whom his mind and heart have agreed to call perfection.

"I can't…" he sighs in frustration.

He dodges Rosita's lip, and they land on his jaws. She hasn't heard his whisper, and her tongue flirts with his earlobe. Rick tenses and he tilts his head further away from Rosita's mouth. What is her problem with the sloppiness? He is being disproportionately unfair with his judgement of Rosita's caress.

"Yeah…I can't," Rick loudly laments when Rosita reaches for his belt, and she presses her lips against his.

"What are you talking about?" Rosita demands half confused, and they aren't having the same experience, "You feel so good." She moans in Rick's ear.

She kisses him again, and Rick attempts to silence his roaring preference. His kisses are more demanding, and he reaches for her ass. There lays his ultimate limit. After the greatness that Michonne's are is, he can't pretend to enjoy Rosita's one. There is the split second where his mind rebels against the aching needs of his body. All the fantasies and wet dreams, which he has ignored the last five years, resurface with violence.

Rick can't help but think of Michonne. The thought of her body pressed against his. The thought of her tongue running along the curvature of his neck is intoxicating. Her warmth mouth sucking around his earlobe while her nails scrap his scalp. Her fingers tangle in his curl, and her soft moan echoes in his ear.

"I fucking can't," Rick gently shoves Rosita away.

He buttons back his shirt, and he puts some distance between Rosita and him. He draws a deep breath, and he strives to will away those endless fantasies.

"Okay … but you seem to want it." Rosita looks down at the bulge in Rick's pant, and he felt so good in her arm.

"I want it, but…" Rick miraculously prevents those harmful words to leave his mouth. "I can't… It's too early." He settles for half a truth.

"I can't change your mind…" Rosita comes to the realization.

She drags back up the sleeves of her dress, and she straightens the hem. She looks at Rick with slight regret.

"I still have her in my system," Rick whispers for his benefit, but Rosita catches his confession.

"You must have loved her." She compassionately says while she assumes Rick is talking about Lori.

"I do," Rick regretfully admits, and he wants those feelings to fade for his sanity.

Five years hasn't disrupted the strength of those feelings. He doesn't know if he should be frustrated or appalled by the strength of his feelings. The pain, he has learned to deal with, but the hopefulness, Rick can't deal with it. Somehow, he stupidly has in the back of his head that she will walk back into his life. He needs to put an end to his delusion. He needs to move on as Michonne did.

She must have moved on with her life. Michonne must have the life, which he wanted to give her. Married with a man, who worships the ground she walks on, and he is bright enough to understand his luck to be in love with her. Rick genuinely hopes that she is happy and fulfilled. He hates the man, who occupies a spot, which he coveted. However, the consequences of loving her were hard to face.

"It's a damn shame for the rest of us ... It will get better." Rosita tries to comfort Rick.

"I guess." He replies with a small smile.

"Hit me up when you're ready…I will love to actually make those fantasies become true." She kisses him and leaves.

The thought finally settles in Rick. Rosita is not Michonne, and he can't continue to dwell on the past. Shane is right. He has to uproot Michonne out of his heart.

* * *

Michonne fights to keep her expression neutral, and the situation has started to exhaust her. Every time, the dates are as archaic as a job interview. She doesn't know Where Yvonne finds those suitors, but she doesn't want any of them near her son. From the misogynist to the classicist, the spectrum of assholes is impressive.

Aside from feeling like ground beef thrown to the vultures, Michonne has to deal with her mother's constant pressure. Michonne is looking through Andre's legal form. She has learned a life lesson, and the pain is the best teacher that exists. To be on the wrong side of power is worse than hell. Michonne didn't anticipate Yvonne paying her way to the guardianship of her son, but to undo everything will cost money and time.

Michonne doesn't have the time, and the amount of money is obtainable. Her senior partner's wife, Maggie, is a family affair lawyer, and she is looking into Michonne's case. Until Maggie legally secures a way to fight Yvonne's guardianship of Andre, Michonne has to match her mother's expectation. She isn't risking her son safety over some misguided pride. Humble yourself to rise higher or a less biblical version, look weak so you can be a Brutus to the Caesar of this world.

Michonne has seen her mother tear through people when unsatisfied, but she has never been on the other side. However, Yvonne has never seen Michonne tear through anyone, and Michonne has never had a reason before her mother's threats. Like Caesar, Yvonne won't see that blow come. Sacrifice for the family's sake.

Michonne placates a smile on her lips as she approaches Yvonne and her guest. She walks to the table, and she leans to kiss her mother's cheek. She turns to face the new suitor, who her mother found, and he is slightly younger than the previous men were.

"Michonne, this is Spencer Monroe. You have met his mother once or twice." Yvonne introduces Michonne to her new suitor.

Michonne keeps her smile in place, and she doesn't care for the detail such as his name or his facial features. With every date, she tries to gain time to work through her legal conflict. If her mother is busy matchmaking, she won't have the time to watch Michonne's moves.

From the misadventures of Andre's legal right, Michonne has learned her lesson. Yvonne plays the game thinking several moves ahead, and she doesn't bother about emotional attachment. She will ruin everyone standing in her way, and Michonne can't be naïve. If she loses her son to the system, she will have no way to track Andre.

Michonne's decision to ask Sasha to renounce her legal right on Andre was naïve. She didn't anticipate her mother taking advantage of the situation. She didn't know that Yvonne would stop her adoption's process. However, Michonne doesn't intend to be so naïve. Rebelling and entering into a power struggle with Yvonne is the ultimate act of naivety. Michonne doesn't have her mother's power or connection, and she doubts her father as her mother's channel of power.

As much as she wants to distance herself from Yvonne, Michonne has learned the art of war from the woman. Play dirty while the world continues to believe that you will never wrestle in the mud. Her mother has told her that sentence thousands of times, and Michonne intends to win the war. If it is to have the rebellion crush, what is the point of showing her anger?

"Deanna?" Michonne cheerfully asks.

Her cheeks are sore from the constant smile on her lips. She doesn't want to be here. She doesn't want to go through the humiliating process. However, she can look past everything as long as she finds a way to get the right on her son back.

"Yes, Senator Monroe." Spencer proudly flashes his mother's title.

Michonne refuses to acknowledge it. A senator is at the bottom of the totem of power, which is why Spencer's mother is trying to attach him to the Barnes. Aside from Le Palais de L' Elysee, Matignon is where the power lies. Yvonne took Michel to Matignon, and Deanna expects Michonne to carry Spencer to the presidency.

"Spencer, this is my gorgeous daughter, Michonne," Yvonne proudly says, and Michonne's heart constrict.

Michonne doesn't remember the last time Yvonne genuinely felt proud of her. A mistake changed everything, and Yvonne showed a side, which she reserved for adversaries. Somehow, it took those threats against Andre for Michonne to understand that her mother sees her as an adversary. She really tried to please Yvonne as long as she could.

"I will leave you two to it," Yvonne leaves before Michonne can sit.

"Oh thank God, you're gorgeous. I was afraid to have some monstrosity forced on me." Spencer exclaims with a voice carrying extreme relief.

With Yvonne's departure, the masks of pretences fall. Michonne's smile disappears, and she reluctantly sits. Megalomaniac is the worst, and with a quick glance, Michonne determines that Spencer is narcissistic and vain.

"It wouldn't have changed much to the situation, but you make it easier to digest…" He finishes.

Spencer expects Michonne's to appreciate the compliment. Michonne calls the waiter to prevent further conversations. She asks for a glass of wine, and she will need all the ounce of alcohol contained in that glass to go through this supposed date.

"Look, this circus isn't necessary. We don't have to share a conversation." Michonne interrupts Spencer before he starts what she assumes to be a self-centred tirade

"Beautiful, Assertive…What else do you have to offer?" Spencer is amused by what he concludes to be a pretence of disinterest.

He is self-assured of his charm, and Spencer doubts that Michonne is immune to it. She cocks an eyebrow half amused with Spencer's shenanigans. In her life, only one man had the needed amount charm to turn Michonne into a blushing and blabbering fool. Although, Rick had that effect on a classroom filled with adults.

"My set of rules… A way around this mess for you and me," Michonne stoically answers, and she drains the entire of her wine glass.

If she didn't have Andre, Michonne will demand the entire bottle of wine.

"You're set of rules? That is something, which I definitely want to hear." Spencer patronizingly responds.

Michonne roles her eyes. Where does Yvonne find those boys who are pretending hard to be men? No subtlety, no charm, and no charisma to save their lives. Her mind possesses a set of standard. If she has the sincerity to admit it, Michonne is comparing.

Although she has no interest in the men, whom Yvonne tries to force onto her, Michonne is comparing each of them to who her heart and mind have declared to be perfection. The timbre of their voices lacks the hoarseness, which adds to the richness of his southern accent. Their smiles should unleash a horde of butterflies on her stomach. When they say her name, she definitely doesn't want to climb on their lap. Michonne refuses to stall on those thoughts.

"So far, I met three men, and they weren't satisfied by the offer, which I made. I will save you sometimes and go straight to the point. Aside for the political alliance, I don't intend to commit to any relationship with you," Michonne sternly explains, and she hopes that her statement will suffice to chase Spencer away from her.

"That is interesting," Spencer casually answers, and he genuinely discovers an interest for Michonne.

"As for any intimacy, I don't care where you get it. I wouldn't provide it. We hardly have to share the same space," Michonne finishes, and her poised tone adds impact to her words.

"If I'm well informed, you're the one with the impending scandal. Perhaps, Humility could be a virtue in your position." Spencer says out of growing vexation.

Michonne's haughtiness starts to weight on him, and he doesn't believe that she is immune to his charms. The fact that she supposedly pretends not to care for him irritates Spencer. He feels the need to remind her who is in a position of power.

"You're the one with unsuccessful political ambitions. How are your humility lessons going so far?" Michonne responds with a quiet voice and a smile.

"To marry you equates many advantages, but I wouldn't want a wife if she doesn't understand her duty... mostly if she is as elegant as you are. Charming you into my bed will be gratifying, and such a rebellious attitude. " Spencer says, and Michonne openly laughs.

She has met a set of arrogant fools, but Spencer makes them sound like Nobel Prize winners. Michonne genuinely laughs, and she doesn't want to challenge his delusion. However, someone has yet to win with the ghost of Rick Grimes. She has tried dating, and every time the conclusion was the same. She has yet to move on from him.

"I gather there must be a miscommunication between us. I have no use for a lover nor do I want a husband beyond the legal use of one," Michonne clarifies for Spencer.

Her words have a less corrosive impact than her soft laugh echoing against the restaurant wall. Anyone around them might have the wrong impression. They might look like a happy couple.

"You might need to reconsider." Spencer indignantly demands.

"There is nothing to reconsider. If I wanted a man, I assure you that I would not single you out as an option. Aside from a debatable attractive appearance, which your ego largely dampens, there is no substance to your persona," Michonne goes for the jugular.

Andre's bedtime is two hours, and she has to make it home on time. She is exhausted, and she has entertained the farce long enough to offer Yvonne's something to hold on.

"If your mother's desperation persists, I might be your most logical option," Spencer says with malice, and he hopes to offend Michonne as much as she offended him.

"We're done here," Michonne disregards his statement, and she rises from her chair.

"Oh, I assure you that we're far from being done. You have my attention, and I like it to be reciprocated."

* * *

The last thing, which Rick expects to find when he opens his door, is a blonde woman. Rick moves around her, and he doesn't care for her until she calls after him. He sighs and hopes that it is not another of Shane's attempt to shove a woman down his throat. The entire thing is exhausting because it ends in the same debacle than the night with Rosita.

He did tell his brother that he wanted to move, and Rick has never tried so hard to forget about someone. After so many failures, Rick has admitted that he can't rush the process. Therefore, Rick wants it to be gradual. He wants Michonne out of his system in a permanent manner. Consequently, he can't and shouldn't rush it. Having plaguing desire for an ex-girlfriend is far from the worst fate, and the worst fate is having utopic dreams about a happy life with an ex-girlfriend. Fortunately, Rick suffers from both ailments.

"You must be Shane's brother?" She asks when Rick steps back.

"I'm Rick," He pushes the annoyance out of his voice.

He will save his annoyance and frustration for Shane. Rick questioningly stares at the woman, and he checks his watch to determine how many minutes he has to spare.

"I know…I didn't mean it like that…I'm Jessie," Jessie stutters and blushes under Rick's scrutiny.

She looks at Rick to check for suspicions, and he doesn't seem to be onto her. She breathes a sigh of relief. Obviously, she knows that his name is Rick. Since the Grimes move in the building, Jessie hasn't been able to take her eyes away from Rick. She has done the needed detective work, and she knows that he is a widower with two children. She needed three months to find the confidence to approach him.

"Okay…Do you need help with something?" Rick doesn't mean to be abrasive, but he has a class to teach in an hour.

Jessie peers at Rick, and she loses her eloquence. For three weeks, she has worked on scenarios. She has chosen the mid-tight length flowery summer dress, which she is wearing. She decided on a French braid with loose tendrils framing her face. However, Jessie didn't have an answer to Rick's simple question. Love didn't happen at first sight as it did with her. Rick has more interest for his watch.

"Yes and No… I don't want to bother you." She stammers, and each word, which she says is a miracle.

"That is ok…What do you need help with?" Rick attempts to rush the conversation.

"I just moved in, and there are not many Americans in the building." Jessie hesitates on how to pursue her lie in the most credible manner, "You see, I actually moved to Bueno Aires after my divorce, and it is a fresh start… Why am I telling you this?" She stops with an embarrassed laugh.

"People like to tell me things about their lives," Rick absentmindedly answers, and he checks his watch to push into Jessie's mind that he doesn't have time.

He doesn't want to be rude with an obviously nice woman. However, he has a class to teach, and Rick doesn't understand the essence of their conversation.

"You inspire trust…I mean…I have children, and they will love interacting with other kid that speak English." Jessie corrects after a confused look from Rick.

She will not make all her progress today, and she has covered this point in her planning.

"Look, I'm running late… I will talk to you later," Rick gives up on politeness as the minutes pass.

"I will hold you up to that..." Jessie responds with a voice filled with disappointment, but she tries to mask her emotions with an awkward laugh. "Rick?" She calls when he starts to walk away.

"Yeah…something else," Rick asks above his shoulder.

"I'm having a dinner to meet my neighbours, and so far you're the friendliest." The words miraculously form credible lies, and Jessie is proud of her fast thinking.

She knows Rick Grimes is the perfect man for her. A wealthy widower with two young children, he must be vulnerable. Jessie wants to find a father for her sons or at least someone better than her ex-husband does. From the moment that she saw Rick move in her building, she felt so attracted to him.

"Yeah…okay," Rick answers unaware of what he has agreed to, and Rick's focus is on his next class.

"See you tomorrow night then…" Jessie joyfully says while she heads from the elevator.

"What?" Rick asks confused about seeing Jessie tomorrow.

* * *

Michonne sternly stares at her mother, and she wonders why Yvonne chose to invade her apartment. Michonne doesn't even know how the woman found the address. Yvonne looks around her daughter's apartment, and she nods in agreement. Michonne's new job financially covers her, but her father refuses to let her pay for anything.

Somehow, Michel has so much guilt concerning the situation with Michonne's hiding Andre. For that same reason, Michonne doesn't want to worsen the situation with the dirtiest part of the story. In addition, she doesn't want to put her father in a crossfire. When people say Yvonne took Michel to Matignon, they don't exaggerate the facts. The same way she made him, Michonne is afraid that she will ruin.

"You've postponed long enough, cherie." Yvonne softly laments as she sits on Michonne's sofa.

Her posture, as usual, is regal, and her voice has regained the maternal warmth, which it lost when Michonne announced her pregnancy. Somehow, Michonne's false obedience has returned her in Yvonne's good grace.

"I have my conditions, and I agreed to everything you wanted," Michonne swallows her venom, and she returns her mother's smile.

Maggie has started to make progress with the case, and Sasha may be able to reclaim her right. Since the person who she renounced them for couldn't receive guardianship. Maggie foresees many months of legal back and forth, and Michonne is trying to win those months by keeping Yvonne pleased.

" Don't be dramatic and make it look as if it is the worst happening thing happening in your life," Yvonne chastises her daughter, and the hardness present in her voice for the last days has completely disappeared, " I get it you must have all those naïve dreams of love. I supposed that it is how that man took advantage of you. For the same reason, I hope you can comprehend pragmatism." She reaches from Michonne's cheek and caresses it.

"Mother, he didn't take advantage of me. I consented and was careless." Michonne corrects her mother.

In weeks, she didn't contradict Yvonne. However, Michonne doesn't want a victim portrayal when she was never one. She initiated their first time, and she turned what could have been an isolated incident into a relationship. Did she demand anything from Rick? Yes, she demanded his time, and she took it. She demanded his affection, and he gave her too him the best he could. She demanded his love at some point, but the demand was beyond what Rick could offer. Did he make promises to her? No, but he tacitly led her to believe that he loved her.

The blame rests on her shoulder as much as it rests on his. Does she resent him? Michonne resents Rick more than she has ever resented anyone in her life. She wanted a life with him even as she claimed to know that it was impossible. Sometimes, she is stupid enough to want a life with Andre and him. Does she blame him for ruining her? She has blamed him for everything worth blaming.

"We need to have a small engagement party." Yvonne disregards her daughter statement.

There is no point to revisit any point of contentions when she has what she wants from her daughter.

"Do as you see fit, mother," Michonne responds with a complete lack of interest for what Yvonne says.

"Where is your son?" Yvonne asks after long minutes of silence

"Mother?" Michonne can't hide her surprise.

In five years, Yvonne has never shown any interest for her grandchild. When Michel visits, she is coincidentally busy. The amount of resentment, which she has against Andre, has no explaining ground. For a second, Michonne doesn't know how to feel. There is that false sense of comfort, and months of open conflict hardly erase years of nurturing. Although, Michonne doesn't let herself believe a return to normalcy.

"I haven't met him, and I think that it is high time," Yvonne continues with unexpected excitement.

"He is sleeping, but if you don't mind waiting," Michonne hesitates as she answers.

In one hand, she wants to keep Yvonne far away from Andre. In another hand, a ridiculously small part of Michonne wants her mother to see that she can produce something beautiful. Nothing is as beautiful as her son is. Andre is Michonne's greatest love, and she would want to share it with her mother. She will want to share that with the entire world.

"I will have a meeting schedule, and we will introduce him to his future father as well," Yvonne minds waiting, and so she stands to leave.

With her parting words, Yvonne leaves Michonne with the strongest emotion, whichever felt. She is not letting that narcissistic power-hungry woman come near her son. Everyone is a stepping-stone for Yvonne.

* * *

After staring at Rick for a few minutes, Shane can't establish if he loves misery or if their mother dropped him on the head. All his efforts wasted on an idiot. Frustrated, Shane taps the back of Rick's head. Rick groans and he dodges the next slap.

"Perhaps, you should go after her," Shane says after many considerations.

He replaced Rick's empty bottle of beer with a new one. He drains his own beers and sinks in the couch next to his brother. Shane waits for Rick's reaction to his statement.

"Who?" Rick plays dumb, and it earns him another tap on the back of the head.

"Your precious student," Shane deadpans with a Cheshire grin.

"Shane?" Rick chastises his brother.

Judith and Carl are around the house, and he doesn't want his children finding of his past through their uncle's loose mouth. There is no day in the year when Rick doesn't regret sharing things about his relationship with Michonne with his brother. He never knows if Shane wants him to move on from Michonne or if he wants Rick to travel around the world to find Michonne.

"You haven't moved on from her. You moved on from your dead wife, but that lil student, you couldn't let go. Your dick gets hard just thinking about her name." Shane attempts to prove his point in his usual vulgar fashion.

Rick sighs and he doesn't bother reminding Shane of the presence of his children around the house. Since they have started to watch soccer religiously, Shane has more reason to be in Rick house. For Rick, it means endless suggestions about his love life, and for Rick's children, it means learning new inventive swearing words. Rick can't decide what annoys him the much, and it varies depending on the days. Today, Shane is extraordinarily himself.

"I'm in a whole ass committed relationship. I think that's moving on from someone," Rick calmly counters Shane.

When Rick notices that Shane's swearing habits have started to rub off on him, He regretfully sighs.

"You're going to break that poor blonde's heart." Shane sternly says, and the blonde woman is not his concern.

"I won't, this is really serious between us," Rick refuses to have the same argument with his brother.

"One day, your naughty student will walk back into your life, and you won't give a shit about the consequences. That poor blonde will be collateral damage. When she goes all psycho on you for running back to the only pussy your dick truly wants, don't say I didn't warn you," Shane accuses Rick with an all-knowing tone.

Quantum physics is unnecessary to come to this logical conclusion, and Rick will never be over Michonne. After so many failures to hook Rick up with a good number of attractive women, Shane has accepted that universal truth. The only nonbeliever is Rick. The man who is still comparing every breathing woman to his lost mistress. The same man who has entire weeks of isolation when anything reminds him of Michonne. Although, Shane refrains from twisting the knife.

"I was a fool once, and now I can't live it down. I have restraint, and I know the consequences," Rick replies, and his annoyance increases.

"You're being a fool right now. Do you even love the blonde?" Shane asks in disbelief at Rick's stubbornness.

"Jessie…" Rick stalls and he knowingly glares at Shane.

The question was a move below the belt. Shane knows the answer to his question, and he asked it to prove a point. Rick doesn't dare to lie, and so he takes a long sip of his beer. Shane takes a sip of his beer too, and his look of victory silences Rick for a minute.

"Her name doesn't matter. What matters is that she won't survive those comparisons to Michonne. Jessie cornered you with that basic ass sob story. She fed you seasoned bullshits, and you ate it up like caviar. You're such a captain save a hoe." Shane says with resentment for his brother's girlfriend

He knows when a narrative has an aim. Jessie's difficult past has left him unfazed, but his dutiful brother is another story. Hero complex at its finest form is Rick's grand mal. When Rick believes that he is doing the honourable thing, to reason with him is an impossible task. Although, Shane adamantly tries because Jessie is a leech.

"I'm thinking about asking her to marry me." Rick dodges Shane's answer.

Shane looks at Rick, and he wonders if his brother learns from his mistake. Does he think he has to pick every stray? Does he not understand that marriage requires love? Shane taps harder at the back of Rick's head. Rick's common sense must be stuck at the bottom of his skull.

"You're insane. There is no way to explain it. Do you love her or do you pity her?" Shane asks in disbelief.

"I'm pragmatic. Judith was asking about her mother last week. I think they need a mother. Jessie could fit in with us," Rick doesn't pretend to have other reasons.

"Your kids hate her kids. Judith doesn't like her, and Carl tries to be polite. You pity her. If you want someone to watch after your kids, get a babysitter," Shane counters with utter frustration.

"You don't like her," Rick defensively states.

Shane cocks an eyebrow. Should he be embarrassed for seeing past the image, which Jessie tries to project? Real recognize real for lack of better largo. Shane knows women like Jessie, but Rick can be naïve when he finds a charity case.

"You got that much right. It says a lot because I'm very partial to blondes. I love them all, but I can't stand her. " Shane shamelessly stands by his opinion of Jessie.

"Nothing is set in stone. We're all going for Maggie's vows renewal. You might learn to love her during that trip or I might agree with you," Rick decides to close the argument.

They have been having the same argument since he started to date Jessie. Rick can't really say how it happened, but he found himself in a relationship. After months of friendship, which he didn't give a thought to, they were dating. Does he love her? He won't lie to himself, and she doesn't seem to see his lack of love as an obstacle for a balanced relationship. Does he like sex with Jessie? He doesn't think about Michonne during it, but he does think about her after each time. Rick has the wrong habit to settle. As long as he is comfortable, he can manage the lack of passion.

"Great, you might need to lead by example. If you start to love her, the rest of us might learn to tolerate her dullness."

* * *

Andre clings at Michonne's hip, and she understands his stress around the small crowd. She is as stressed as he is. Michonne has never been comfortable in those parties, which her mother throws for public images. Although, she has many reasons to feel sick tonight. They are celebrating her engagement to Spencer later on.

Michonne goes to hide with Andre in her old room, and she tries to talk herself through the night. Maggie is getting closer to a solution. Later, she can break any engagements, which she made tonight. Michonne tries to set Andre down, but he refused to release his grip.

"Mommy is sad," Andre says as he uses his hands to frame Michonne's face.

His little thumbs try to reach Michonne's upper lids, and he pushes them down in an attempt to wipe her imaginary tears. Michonne attempts to dodge the chubby hands smearing and smudging her eyes shadow.

"I'm okay, Andre," Michonne uses her most cheerful voice to convince her son.

Although, he sceptically looks at her for confirmation. Andre's fingers almost pock Michonne's eyes while he stubbornly tries to wipe tears who have yet to fall.

"Mommy is sad," Andre insists, and Michonne reassuring smiles aren't convincing enough for him.

There is that sadness around Michonne, and Andre can sense it. The door opens, and Michel enters the room.

"I thought I will find you here…" Michel says

"Grandpa, mommy is sad," Andre welcomes him with the statement.

Michel stares at his daughter, and he comes to similar conclusions. Michonne looks at her son, and she definitely has to teach him how to keep a secret.

"If he can see it, I think everyone in the next room can see it." Michel quietly says.

He rapidly concludes that his daughter is hiding. Michel takes a spot on the bed where Michonne and Andre sat.

"Dad?" Michonne doesn't know what to say.

"Hi, bebe and here is my beautiful grandchild." Michel reaches for Andre, and he finally let's go of Michonne.

"Mommy is sad, grandpa," Andre insists, and he hopes his grandpa has a solution.

"I can see that. Do you think she will tell me why? It is supposed to be a happy night. The man, who she loves, is going to ask her to marry him." Michel tastes the water.

His wife and daughter forget that he can be observant when his works do not preoccupy him. There is definitely something off about Michonne and the so-called love of her life Spencer.

"You love him, right?" Michel expects a sincere answer

"It's complicated," Michonne replies for lack of better words to express her turmoil.

"Yvonne has her hand in it?" Michel rhetorically asks, and he knows how pushy Yvonne can be.

"Mother is …" Michonne considers confessing everything.

However, she does not know how to break the news to her father. She is slowly solving the issue. Maggie has secured Sasha's legal rights, and everything should fall into places.

"Don't let your mother impose her archaic ideas on you. It isn't because you have a son with a man that you must marry him. If you don't love him, you don't have to do this." Michel reassures Michonne. "You should stand up to her while you can or she will continue to impose her choices on you." He finishes.

"But your image… The plan," Michonne attempts to rationalize the situation.

"The fifth republic has known worse scandal than a single mother, and it is still standing. As long as you're happy, I will be content, and your mother will deal. That should be the plan." Michel kisses Michonne's cheek, and he walks out with Andre to give her time to think.

….

….

…

Michonne wants to wait until Maggie confirms that nothing can happen to Andre. Michonne wants to move in the shadow until she can strike. She intended to fight fire with fire, and she might have borrowed some of Yvonne's moves. However, Michel made some valid points. She doesn't want always to fear her mother. She doesn't want to live in a state of perpetual fears. She no longer wants to compromise. Michonne no longer wants to emulate what Yvonne taught her.

"Here, I don't think I can go through this farce," Michonne returns Spencer's ring.

Her lungs feel lighter, and the weight on her shoulders disappears. All hell is about to break loose, but Michonne hasn't known such freedom in years.

"You will regret it," Spencer says as he refuses to retake the ring.

"I will regret playing along far more." She confidently replies.

Spencer looks around the room, and his distress doesn't go unnoticed. Deanna approaches Yvonne, and conversations are hushed. Yvonne watches her daughter, and she quickly closes on Michonne and Spencer.

" Michonne?" Yvonne grabs Michonne's arm.

She graciously drags her daughter away from the guests. Michel catches a glimpse of the scene, and he follows his wife and daughter.

"Don't try me," Yvonne hisses.

"Do your worst Mom," Michonne quietly replies "Threaten your grandchild all you want. You aren't going to take my son away. Feel free to try, but I'm not letting you push me down a path where you want me to go. Try to take my son away from me again and I will show you how ruthless I can be, mother. I will ruin it all. Everything, you built," Michonne pulls her arm out Yvonne's grip.

Yvonne reaches again for Michonne's arm, but Michel stands the way of Yvonne's hand. He has heard enough for his wife machination to appal him. Michel is one for quiet anger and statement. He takes a deep breath, and he reminds himself to be levelheaded.

"Let her be, Yvonne. It's her life, not yours and you did what?" Michel intervenes before Yvonne can reply to their daughter threats.

Carefully, Michel pushes Michonne behind him.

"I did what was necessary," Yvonne unapologetically replies.

"You took the legal rights that I should have on my child. You threatened to have Andre put in the worst foster homes, and you tried to force me to marry a man who I met once. What part of it was necessary?" Michonne finally loses her countenance.

The fury and frustration resurface, and she only keeps a bit of restraint because she now understands her mother's perverse nature. Yvonne will never hesitate to weaponize a benign situation.

"Yvonne?" Michel stares at his wife in shock.

Michonne's accusation ring louder with each passing second. He doesn't bother to ask if everything is true. Yvonne has many unnamable skeletons.

"I was trying to protect you and what you built," Yvonne doesn't express any remorse.

"By abusing our daughter? By offering me reasons to divorce you. What is wrong with you?" Michel doesn't even know if he wants the answer to his questions.

"I will find a lawyer to handle it, bebe," Michel tells his daughter.

"Thank you," Michonne answers.

Michel leaves the room, and he returns to their guest. Yvonne and Michonne follow him. Nothing can amend the situation. Yvonne has not renounced her vindictive position. Michonne glares at her mother, and she knows their last conversation created more conflict that resolutions. Yvonne will try to make her pay.

"Our sincerest apologies, but this engagement party is cancelled…" Michel shocks every guest in attendance.

Yvonne placates a smile on her face, and she gracefully pretends for the crowd. Michonne is simply exhausted by the night and the months, which preceded it.

"Andre, cheri, come here…" Michel calls his grandchild, "In case you haven't met Andre my grandchild and my beautiful daughter's son. I know he is adorable. If you're the curious type, you might want to know that Michonne is unmarried and as for Andre's father, we choose to keep him anonymous. " Michel brings Andre under the light.

Yvonne stares in horror, and Michonne simply feels relieved. The room is in effervescence. The secret, which Yvonne fought, is spreading from lips to lips.

"Now, you have a scandal on your hand to keep you busy and out of my daughter life."

* * *

Michonne has spent hours on the phone, and she no longer knows how to convince Glenn that she hasn't changed her mind. She places her clothes in the suitcases, and Andre proceeds to put them out. Michonne sighs and she lifts her son to keep him away from her luggage.

"You're coming, right?" for the umpteenth time, Glenn demands.

After the months that Michonne had, Glenn can only assume that she isn't too eager for a trip out of France. Things have started to fall in place, and Maggie has successful closed Andre's legal case. Since last week, Michonne is her son's legal mother. Michel backing up every of Maggie's move helped speed the process.

Yvonne hasn't one attempted to stop the process, and she kept her promises to disown Michonne. So far, Michonne hasn't attempted to amend any bridge. Michel happens to be in the middle of the women of his life conflict, but Michonne is grateful that her father hasn't demanded that she changed her mind regarding Yvonne.

"Yes, Glenn. I have my flight book, and Sasha agreed to watch Andre," Michonne answers with a slight growing annoyance.

Andre is in a cranky mood, and he does not intend to let his mother go. Andre throws out every clothes, which Michonne folds and adds in her suitcase. Michonne chastises him, and his answer is a tantrum.

"Andre could have come with you, and Maggie adores him. There will be her niece and nephew at the house, and Andre would have fit right in with Carl and Judith. He will probably fit right in with Shane too," Glenn says while he hears Andre's loud cries from the other side of the phone.

"We need the separation. He is way too attached to me for a five-year-old," Michonne, sighs, and she picks up Andre who is dramatically crying by her suitcases.

Michonne doesn't know who has taught him the art of the emotional blackmail, but he excels in it. Michonne stares at her son, and she considers cutting his time with Michel. Andre's grandfather has a tendency to give into every caprice.

"Isn't it what every parent wants," Glenn says a bit envious.

"He needs to gain some independence, and I need a break after this year. I won't have a second for me if Andre is around," Michonne replies, and she looks down at her son, who has moved his crying party from her bed to her calves.

Exhausted, she sternly stares at her son who is mimicking a dead body as soon as she looks at him. Michonne doesn't know where he gets his dramatic side. Since she told him that she will be absent for two weeks, Andre has decided to make everything hard for her. Now, he is feigning agony. Michonne sighs and she rights his head to avoid an accident.

"Andre, don't die on the floor! It is dirty," Michonne tells Andre, as he starts to lay on the ground to continue his exaggerated tragedy.

"Okay, mommy," Andre says as he stands from the floor.

He quietly proceeds to walk until Michonne's bed, and he dramatically falls on the bed. Andre continues his scene right where he stopped because of Michonne's interruption. Michonne rolls her eyes, and she returns her attention to the phone conversation with Glenn.

"Your mother hasn't come around," Glenn questions.

"After everything, she doesn't acknowledge me. I'm glad she hasn't tried to take away my son again, and dad has made sure it stays that way," Michonne replies.

"Maggie wouldn't let that happen, and your father did a good job dissuading the social service," Glenn attempts to reassure Michonne.

A week after Michonne's failed engagement, the social service came to check on Andre. An anonymous caller accused Michonne of negligence and child abuses. Fortunately, Maggie quickly resolved the situation.

"I can't believe she went so far," Michonne laments.

"It could have been the Monroe boy too. He holds quite a grudge against you," Glenn points out, and Michonne has to agree.

Spencer's ego hasn't allowed him to digest the debacle that was their failed engagement. He has issued some alarming threats against Michonne.

"You see why I need some me time." She points out.

"Definitely! Give me your arrival date, and I will gladly come to pick you up," Glenn agrees with Michonne.

"Thank you."

* * *

After ten hours of flight from Bueno Aires to Atlanta and several hours of a car ride, Rick doesn't understand why he has to suffer through this torture. He looks at Maggie, and he can believe that she will betray him that way. Rick glares at Shane, and his brother is leading the charges on Rick's triad.

"I really don't think that's a great idea," Maggie says to Rick.

"So I said, and so I said. He might listen to you. I have been saying this shit for two weeks." Shane jumps on the conversation to exaggerate the situation.

"What do you have against Jessie? She is okay..." Rick laments, and he has no proper defence in favour of his girlfriend.

The topic is starting to become repetitive, and Rick has exhausted all argumentations in Jessie's favour. Shane has started a crusade against the woman, and Rick's remaining siblings have decided to follow suit. Comes rain comes to snow, Rick has to suffer through variations of the same conversation.

Is he aware that the chemistry between Jessie and him is non-existent? Yes, He finds a comforting familiarity with the situation. He doesn't run the risk to have his heart shattered. Is he still in love with Michonne? Moving on is not as easy as he wants it to be, but he can give the illusion that he moved on from her. Rick wants to believe that he moved on from Michonne.

"Aside of the fact that she is your charity case and your atonement path for whatever sin that you chose to punish, I have nothing against her," Beth quietly says.

Rick frustratedly glares at Beth, and his look tacitly tells her that the topic is beyond her level of clearance. She is too young to have an opinion on his love life. Shane and Sasha are already complicating his days. What does it bother them so much that he likes to stay in his comfort zone?

"You don't love her. You like how familiar she feels. The same life, which you didn't want with Lori. She is a duller version of your dead wife. We all know you didn't like the first one" Shane doesn't bother to be tactful.

Maggie freezes, and she glares at an unrepentant Shane. He is not fixing Rick once the entire thing turns into a complicated mess.

"What Shane wants to say…" Maggie can't finish her sentence because Shane refuses to have his words changed to coddle his brother.

"What Shane wants to say, Shane said it." Shane stands by his opinion.

Maggie swats Shane's arm, and she checks on an unfazed Rick.

"You're trying to fix the past, and it helps that she has this baggage. The violent ex-husband who is still in the picture. Troubled kids. A charity case," Maggie continues, and her approach is gentler than Shane's one, but the facts remain.

"You shouldn't marry her," Glenn summarizes the entire argument between the Grimes siblings.

"Not you too," Rick sighs.

"Look, my friend was in your position. A single parent with everyone pressuring her to marry. She stood up for herself, and she could give you great pieces of advice on how to get rid of guilt. She should be here tomorrow," Glenn disregards Rick's annoyance with the entire conversation.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to pick Jessie at the airport. Do you want me to pick her up?" Rick tries to move away from the present topic of conversation.

"No, I promised Mimi to pick her up. She isn't the biggest fan of our country, and I had to beg to convince her to come. She won't appreciate having a stranger pick her up," Glenn rejects Rick's offer.

"Is she coming with Andre? Everyone needs to meet Andre. I haven't met a cuter kid." Maggie excitedly asks.

She adores the little boy, and Michonne's case was challenging. Although, Andre made every second of extra hours of work worth it. Maggie loves when Andre visits her office.

"Nope, she wanted some me time. You know how bad and complicated her year was. I mean you handled the case," Glenn explains to his wife.

"Can we refocus? Richard still wants to marry his girlfriend." Shane refuses to give Rick a second of peace.

"She will be a great mother for Carl and Judith," Rick sighs and he stands to leave the room.

"Is she a great mother to her kids?" Shane counters

"Shane…" Rick doesn't dignify the question with an answer.

"A legitimate question," Glenn points out.

"Glenn, please…" Rick exhaustively laments.

"Have you asked your kids if they wanted her as a mother?" Maggie adds her two cents to the conversation

"I will do it soon, and they can use this holiday to learn to know each other," Rick replies and he decides to leave the room.

"I sense drama," Beth quietly says.

"As long as it doesn't destroy my vows renewal, I can live with it," Maggie glares into Rick's direction, and the warning is silently issued.

"Nothing will happen, I promise. Carl and Judith are okay with Jessie."

* * *

Rick's phone goes on, and he quickly checks the caller Id. He puts the car Bluetooth speaker on, and he stops his conversation with Jessie. The call comes as a chance to escape a strange conversation. Sometimes, Jessie and he have those gauche conversations.

"Hey, Glenn?" Rick says with a hint of surprise.

"Are you still at the airport?" Glenn rushes the words out, and he sounds a bit desperate.

"I have just left, but I'm close enough to go back," Rick answers.

"Oh thank you, Rick," Glenn sighs with relief, and he continues, "Maggie had a stomach bug, and I can't get there on time to pick Mimi…"

Maggie has spent the day vomiting, and Glenn had to take her to the hospital. Shane, Beth, and Carl left earlier on the morning to explore the town. Glenn's remaining option is Rick.

"Mimi?" Rick asks slightly confused by what Glenn says.

After last night exhausting conversation, Rick hardly remembers what and whom his siblings mentioned. Halfway through the enumeration of grievances, Rick decided to zone out.

"She is the friend, who I needed to pick from the airport. I think her plane has just landed. If it isn't too much trouble, can you pick her up?" Glenn asks Rick.

"Does Mimi have a full name?" Rick demands as he agrees to pick her up from the airport.

"Yeah… Hold on, Rick. I have a double call." A double call interrupts Glenn when he starts to say Michonne's full name.

Rick patiently waits for Glenn to pick their call back, and he checks the back seat to see if Judith is comfortable. Jessie tells him some boring story, but Rick's mind is miles away. He suddenly remembers that Mimi is Michonne's official nickname.

"It was Mimi. She is at the terminal two. You can't miss her, and she is one of those ethereal beauties. She is wearing a deep red summer dress. Thanks again." Glenn says, and he forgets to give Michonne's full name.

"I will call you back if I can't find her with that very vague description… "

* * *

Rick can define the moment, but it is one when the time freezes while the motion of life refuses to slow its speed. His mind attempts to be reasonable, but his instinct can't be wrong. He is moved from the chore of his being. There are hundreds perhaps thousands of people around him, but his senses choose to single one person.

Rick hasn't seen her. Rick hasn't heard the sugary sophistication of her voice. Her dry lilac and vanilla orchids scent has yet to saturate the air. However, all the cells in his body, which are dedicated to awareness, are in alert. Nothing is different from the first time that he walked into a class and found her sitting in the second row. His heart has long stopped, and the sight of her will eventually send it into a series of gallops.

The world continues to move around him, and Rick must be moving too. He searches for Michonne, and he tries to catch each of her glances as he did when he walks into that class. His lungs ache, and the air bare of scent can't soothe such ache. The breaths, which he takes before ultimately breathing her, are poor palliative. She breathes life into him and influences the rhythm of his heart with an absent glance at him.

The glimpse of deep red fills the blue of Rick's eyes. The subtle scent of her, which lingers on her path, drains the air from Rick's lungs. Her skin glows under the bright led light, and his fingers itch to reconnect with the magical texture of Michonne's skin. Her hair swipes her back, and Rick remembers the hours spent with his fingers lost in her mane. Those melodic laughs, which fell from Michonne's lip every time he mistakenly had her dreadlocks tangled around his watch, drown the echo of reality around Rick.

He has seen a back, and for many, it can't be enough to identify anyone. However, Rick remembers those days when he would wait for his classroom to empty itself. Michonne always walked out last. Rick would watch her walk away with hips swinging with such grace and fluidity. The regal of her posture and the elegance of her being. Rick has every detail memorized. He has an undebatable knowledge of Michonne. Months of true intimacy have birthed that knowledge. Rick is intimate with the core of Michonne's being. The word, which leaves his lips, is a result of that intimacy.

"Baby…" The sound crawls out of the crevice of an aching heart, and it is a roaring whisper.

The sound of Rick's voice is breathy and timid. The word carries all his neediness and the rebellion against their separation. In a word, there is a sense of liberation. Six years of ostracism healed with a glance at Michonne.

"Michonne." He breathes her name with so much reverence.

"Hey…" Michonne spins as fast as the world around her does when she hears the sound of his voice.

Michonne is literally thrown out of balance, and Rick has to keep her from falling. Michonne clings on Rick, and she clings on the moment. She clings on the intensity of his look. She clings on the warmth of his hands around her waist.

The distance between them is awkwardly too present but needed for their sanity. Although, the tips of Rick boots flirt with the tip of Michonne's heel. The distance is existent and non-existent. It is a breath filled with dry lilac and vanilla orchids. The distance is a curl, which Michonne's hand returns behind Rick's ear. The distance is a soft soothing breath, which they deeply inhale in symbiosis.

Michonne unclasps her grip around Rick's shoulder, and Rick's fingers graze Michonne's bare back as his hands abandon her waist.

"Rick…" Michonne has a moment when the intensity of his presence by her side assaults her common sense, and she almost reaches for him.

"Rick, we have to rush I think you parked on the wrong spot, baby." Jessie reaches for Rick's arm.

Jessie's touch establishes the distance between Rick and Michonne. Although, the tip of their shoes continue to meet, and Rick's knuckles graze Michonne's arm as he turns to face Jessie.

"Professor Grimes." Michonne takes a step back.

 **PS: I know Yvonne had everyone in their feelings. However, if with functioning central nervous system someone make a choice to read a story classified as angst, I hold no responsibility on how it affects that person. Therefore, I don't need unnecessary rant on what is wrong with me and why I don't write happy stories. many thing similar.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the review on the last chapter**

 **I don't own the walking dead**

 **Please, review**

* * *

 **Chapter IV**

* * *

"Baby…" The sound crawls out of the crevice of an aching heart, and it is a roaring whisper.

The sound of Rick's voice is breathy and timid. The word carries all his neediness and the rebellion against their separation. In a word, there is a sense of liberation. Six years of ostracism healed with a glance at Michonne.

"Michonne." He breathes her name with so much reverence.

"Hey…" When she hears the sound of his voice, Michonne spins as fast as the world around her does.

Michonne literally loses out of balance, and Rick stops her fall. Michonne clings on Rick and on the moment. She holds on the intensity of his look. She focuses on the warmth of his hands around her waist.

The distance between them is awkwardly too present but needed for their sanity. Although, the tips of Rick's boots flirt with the tips of Michonne's heels. The space between them is existent and non-existent. It is a breath filled with dry lilac and vanilla orchids. It is a curl, which Michonne's hand returns behind Rick's ear. It is a soft soothing breath, which they deeply inhale in symbiosis.

Michonne unclasps her grip around Rick's shoulder, and Rick's fingers graze Michonne's bare back as his hands abandon her waist.

"Rick…" Michonne has a moment when the intensity of his presence by her side assaults her common sense, and she almost reaches for him.

"Rick, we have to rush. I think you parked on the wrong spot, baby." Jessie reaches for Rick's arm.

Jessie's touch establishes the distance between Rick and Michonne. Although, the tip of their shoes continue to meet, and Rick's knuckles graze Michonne's arm as he turns to face Jessie.

"Professor Grimes." Michonne takes a step back.

She glances at Jessie, and a polite smile appears on her lips. Her looks on Rick hardens. Rick is almost too enamoured with Michonne to offer Jessie the attention, which she craves.

"Baby, we're going to get a ticket." Jessie insists, and she has physically to pull Rick and his focus away from Michonne.

Jessie reaches for Rick's arm, and she slightly pulls him away from Michonne. Rick lastly emerges from his trance, and he regretfully faces Jessie.

"What?" Rick's annoyance is loud, and only his confusion tempers it.

"You parked on the wrong spot," Michonne replies with detachment.

"Yeah…" Rick answers for the sake of speaking to Michonne, and he is not on the hurry to do anything.

"Have you found Glenn's friend?" Jessie asks with the need to remind Rick of her presence.

Although, Rick's mind continues to filter everyone around Michonne and him. He does not acknowledge her question, and Jessie's hand around his forearm does not stop him from closing the distance between Michonne and him. Michonne is more aware of her surrounding, and she again steps back before he comes closer.

"Michonne," she extends her hand for Jessie to take, and Jessie ignores it in favour of a questioning glare, "Glenn, and Maggie's friend." She adds.

"Yeah…" Rick's vocabulary is lacking, but words elude him.

Between his waltz of emotions and the rush of memories, Rick remains disoriented. His only conscious need is to gravitate around Michonne.

"Judith is in the car, and we have to go Rick." The mention of Judith dies the trick.

Rick shakes the remaining effects of his trance. He throws the last yearning glance at Michonne, and he breathes out the growing tension in his muscle. Rick belatedly steps away from Michonne.

"Your luggage, Michonne." Rick has the necessity to say her name.

Michonne slightly shivers, and the tongue roll and the heavy drawl sound too intimate. She schools her features, and Jessie's eyes follow Michonne's expression. The tension between the ex-paramours is oppressive on Jessie. She wraps her arm around Rick's waist.

It is a display of affection meant to mark her territory. The result is the inverse, and Rick openly avoids that touch. Michonne remains flustered by Rick's intense look. She has not answered his question, and she does not think that he cares for an answer.

Michonne attempts to exhale and little things are hard to do.

"It is quite small, and I can carry it." She manages to say, and the glimmer in Rick's eyes intensifies.

The joke on the tip of Rick's tongue proves that the intimacy has never disappeared, and he has old memories coming to crash at the front of his mind like waves relentlessly crashing on the shores.

Rick looks at Michonne's hand, and nothing has changed. She is still very invested in the coquetry of her nails. Her manicured nails are a colour, which his male grooming would deem purple. Although if he mistakenly says it, Michonne would lecture him about colours.

"And so you can accuse me of everythang wrong with the world if your little purple nails break," Rick says as he takes the luggage from her hand, and he stands close enough to whisper his words, "I don't think so Miss Barnes." He does not use her name to create distance, and it is in an attempt to tease.

Lost in memories of old time of happiness, Rick almost erases their break up from his mind. Michonne glances at Rick, and she understands his joke. For old time sake, she wants to correct Rick about nails colour, and it is lavender instead of purple. In addition, he was indeed the reason why her nail broke during that trip.

Although, Michonne does not share Rick's nostalgia. Those memories have been constant companions of her melancholy. Michonne envisions what will happen if she does not break Rick's bubble. Rick's mischief look and the seductive tone of his voice indicate that the fool will kiss her.

"I suppose we can go," Michonne firmly says, and her eyes fall on Jessie, who has taken note of Rick and Michonne's interaction.

Although, Jessie pretends to be blind to it. She retakes Rick's arm as if it will cage him if the impulse to kiss Michonne return. Rick draws a breath, and his glances carry yearning. Michonne ignores it, and she chooses to walk away.

* * *

The tension in the car saturates the air. Apart from a gleeful Judith, the adults are hesitant to converse. Rick has not broken his daze, and the danger of the road does not appear to be his priority. Every second, he glances at Michonne. The hand, which Jessie passes on his arm, does not stir a reaction from Rick.

Michonne attempts to ignore Rick's look, and the task is easy as her thoughts engulf her mind. A rush of memories threatens to drown her. Between tears and anguish, she does not know how to react. She settles for dignity, and she decides to look through the window until they arrive.

Jessie, on the other hand, decides to feign ignorance, but she has already started to mark her theory. After her previous efforts and many struggles to trap him, she is not losing Rick, Jessie stares at Michonne, and she sees nothing but a rival to vanquish.

"Judith, please, stop bothering Michonne," Rick breaks the silence when he notices Judith trying to escape her car seat to reach for Michonne.

"I'm sorry," Judith replies with a tiny frown.

For a second, she looks at Michonne, and Michonne smiles to her. Michonne picks the toy, which Judith accidentally had dropped, and she passes it to the little girl.

"She is not bothering me, professor Grimes," Michonne replies, and she emphasises Rick's old title in hopes that he will remember his place.

Years later, their conversation in his office has the same impact. Michonne's anger is stronger than when she left, and when she faces what she assumes to be his perfect family, she feels stupid. Michonne does not know Judith's age, but she must be around Andre's age. However, what Michonne knows with certainty is that Jessie was not Rick's wife at the time of their affair.

"Hi, Judith," Michonne says, and there is something comfortable in staring into familiar eyes.

At this moment, Michonne misses her son, and she begins to regret leaving Paris. In all her nightmares and fantasies, she never expected to meet Rick again. They make eye-contact through the mirror, and she attempts to harden her looks. Everything feels like their past relationship with the roles inverted. Michonne has suddenly become the cold one with the intent to maintain boundaries while Rick can't find it in him to care for the consequences.

"Hello, ma'am," Judith replies as she passes back her toy to Michonne with another smile.

Michonne's familiarity with Andre's way of comforting people leads her to understand that Judith picked on her sour mood.

"Professor Grimes?" Jessie reacts with a calculated shock, and she finds an answer to some of her questions "Oh, you know each other?"

"Yeah…" Rick lastly acknowledges Jessie with a cold answer, and he moves his arm out of her reach.

"Professor Grimes taught me criminology," Michonne quickly offers, and she does not understand Rick's behaviours not does she wants to understand, "during my semester of exchange in New York," she finishes, and with every word, Michonne attempts to establish a certain distance.

"I will take Judith," Jessie says when Judith attempts again to escape her babysit to go to Michonne, "Come here, sweetheart." She unlocks the seat to pick Judith.

For the last months, Jessie has done everything in her power, but the Grimes children continue to resist her charms. From her sons, who have failed to form a friendship with Carl, to Judith who openly dislikes her, Jessie can't wait to marry Rick, and so she can stop pretending to care about his useless children.

As in queue, when Jessie attempts to lift Judith from her seat, the toddler begins to cry and resist. Judith is a better judge of character than her father is, and she is almost allergic to Jessie.

"That is okay," Rick says to Jessie, "and she can't be in the front, that is dangerous." He does not bother looking at her, but she hears his annoyance.

For a second, Jessie feels as if Michonne annihilated her past efforts. They are back in the early period of their relationship when she needed to harass him to gain his attention. The impromptu visits at his apartment, the forced dates, and all her efforts to shift his perspective suddenly appear to be futile. Jessie looks in the car mirror, and she notices that Rick's focus is on Michonne. Her interest in the other woman increases.

"I guess the car ride makes her cranky," Michonne attempts to be diplomatic, and being in the epicentre of such tension is exhausting.

She helps to strap Judith back on her seat, and Judith's small hands disappear in Michonne's dreadlock. The toddler starts to laugh with glee, and Michonne decides to focus on that rather than the other piercing eyes following each of her moves.

"Judith, let go of Michonne's hair. It's wrong to pull people hair," Rick chastises his daughter with a soft tone, and Michonne's heart constricts from the little glimpse at him being a father.

"It's okay, ba..." She stops before the words leave her tongue, and they exchange a meaningful glance. " It's okay, and I understand Judith's fascination with my hair. My…" Michonne stops speaking all at once after she almost mentioned Andre.

Much like Judith, Andre is always curiously exploring her hair. Her frustration slowly returns, and Michonne stares at the toy, which Judith gave her.

"Your?" Rick asks.

"Nothing," Michonne replies with a fit of quiet anger palpable in the sudden tremor of her voice, "I'm slightly jet lag," she lies.

Rick doubts the authenticity of Michonne's answer. He has a strange hint that there is more to the story. Three years may have passed, but it did not erase his knowledge of her body language. He decides to save the questions for later as they draw closer to the Grimes' mansion.

"A Long trip will do that, and we were the same when we came from Buenos Aires with the children." Jessie quickly says, and she carefully chooses her words, "And the heat, after all these years living in Argentina, you would believe we will be able to endure the heat." She continues to paint a picture for Michonne.

"Argentina?" Michonne absently asks, and she remembers the last call, which she placed at the university.

 _Professor Grimes stopped working here after the birth of his daughter_ eighteen months ago. Michonne glances at Judith, and she must be the daughter, which makes her roughly around Andre's age. His perfect little family is painful to face for Michonne, and the blonde hair, which Judith shares with Jessie, helps to write a narrative.

"That is where we live," Jessie replies, and she senses Michonne's change of demeanour.

"Must be gorgeous," Michonne politely says, and she cannot wait to leave the car, "Your daughter is beautiful," She cannot help herself, and when she makes eye contact with Rick, the tears threaten to fall.

Michonne draws a deep breath, and she questions the last three years of her life. A number between others, she assumes that she was just a mistress amongst others. Ultimately, she can make sense of Rick's rejection. He couldn't leave his wife for her, but for Jessie, it was easy. Michonne clutches Judith's toy, and she regrets leaving the quietness of her home and her son. Why did she continuously cling on the past?

"Thank you," Jessie replies before Rick can, and she does not correct Michonne.

The emotions, which Rick reads on Michonne's face, distract him, and so he does not notice the lie, which Jessie decides to exploit. Jessie is not blind, and the conclusion is easy to make. Jessie does not want the competition, which Michonne represents.

"Judith is a little angel," Jessie adds with a smile, "isn't Judith the best little girl, babe?" She gains Rick's attention.

"She is…" Rick answers with the usual pride that he feels at raising his daughter.

Michonne hides her distress with a quick smile, and she only wishes to escape the moment. The anger after their break up resurfaces, and she does not know how long she can remain so collected. The moment, the picture of Jessie caressing Rick's arm while they gush over their precious daughter, and everything hurts.

Everything is a brutal reminder that she is not over Rick Grimes, but he has rebuilt his life. Michonne refrains from thinking about Andre, and with a little glimpse into Rick and Judith's relationship, she admits that she envies Judith's luck to have her father. Michonne plasters a smile on her lips instead of allowing her tears to fall. Fortunately, the car comes to a halt.

* * *

Michonne perfectly masks her discomfort, and she attempts to remain the most cordial while Glenn introduces her to the rest of the Grimes family. She attempts not to glance at Rick.

She puts as much distance as she can between them, but Rick's eyes continue to track every of her movement. Aside from Rick, another Grimes has decided to be affectionate with Michonne, and the complications are endless.

Michonne takes a step to the side, and she never feels as if the distance between Rick and her is sufficient. Three years have changed nothing, and the same unresolved tension continues to plague any of their interactions.

Judith stands close to Michonne, and Michonne draws a deep breath. Judith's big blue eyes are a reminder of Andre, but Michonne is almost afraid to interact with the little girl. A glance at Jessie suffices to prove how little Rick cared for her.

"And so you have met Rick earlier," Glenn says when he releases Michonne from his hug, "Let's meet the rest of Maggie's family." He drags her in the living room.

"Everyone, this is Michonne, and Michonne, this is everyone," Glenn announces in his nonchalant ways.

"Very funny, Rhee," Shane leaps from his spot on the sofa when he hears her name," I'm Shane, this idiot's brother in law and Maggie's brother," He flashes Michonne his most charming smile.

"Shane," Rick and Glenn sigh at the same time.

"Okay…" Michonne returns the smile, and Shane has not released her hand.

"Michonne, that sounds unique. I have never met anyone with your name, and no let me rephrase that. I have not met anyone as beautiful as their name," Shane continues to speak, and he lays on thick the southern accent and charm.

"The name is unique," Michonne politely replies, and she attempts to move away.

"Shane enough, and hi Michonne, I'm Beth," she says softly as she leans to kiss Michonne's cheek, "I heard it is a French way of greeting, and so you don't feel too homesick."

"I forgot my manners, and I should have tried the French greeting," Shane jokes.

"Give her the time to get used to you first," Glenn sarcastically says, and he does not think anyone can get used to Shane.

"You met Rick's children Carl and Judith," Glenn says to close the introduction.

He does not bother with Jessie, and she has come to peace with the fact that the Grimes siblings and affiliations do not care for her. Jessie smiles, and she greets the rest of the room. Michonne senses the tension in the room, and she attributes it to history, which she created between Rick and Jessie. She presumes that the Grimes are not willing to welcome a woman who was once their brother's mistress.

"Did she meet Rick?" Shane asks with an innocent tone while his mind is trying to conclude.

"They already knew each other," Jessie decides to intervene, "Rick was her criminology professor," She finishes to explain.

Shane stops his gloating cry, and he exchanges a glance with Rick, which confirms all his doubt.

"Amazing coincidence," Shane comments, and Rick does not miss the implicit message.

Everyone looks at Shane, and he has that grin, which promises many scandalous secrets. For a second, Michonne looks above her shoulder to catch Rick's eyes, which Jessie does not miss. As time passes, Jessie wants to know more about Rick and Michonne's past.

"That is a big coincidence, and it makes sense why you do your research the way you do. It is very Rick Grimes," Glenn says without a thought.

"Professor Grimes had a great impact on me," Michonne gauchely replies, and Shane sucks his teeth as if to punctuate the statement.

"Professor Grimes," He mouths, and he subtly winks at Rick, "Interesting."

"How was your flight?" Michonne welcomes the change of topic, which Beth initiates.

"Long and tiresome," She honestly replies.

"That is true you must be exhausted, and we are holding you." Glenn apologetically says, "Maggie is getting over her food poisoning, and I'm sure she will rush in your room upstairs when she wakes up."

"My room?" Michonne asks with a slightly panicked tone, " I booked a hotel," she rushes to reply.

"Chonne, forget it." Glenn picks Michonne's suitcases, "Everyone is staying in the mansion. Maggie won't have it any other way," He finishes, and Michonne only wants to argue more.

Her eyes find their way to Rick, and she refuses to stay another minute in the same space than him. She won't be able to think around him and another glance at Jessie makes Michonne's heart bleed.

"Listen, Glenn," She begins to speak, but ultimately Rick resolves to interrupt her.

"For as much as you are good at winning arguments, Maggie is going to force you, Michonne." He adds his usual tender tone to her name, and she cannot endure more of his familiarity.

"She can try," Michonne stubbornly replies, and her venom pours.

"Some thangs don't change, and your stubbornness is one of those thangs," He says with a quiet tone.

She might be wishing for it, but Michonne hears the flirtatious drop in the octave of his voice. Michonne blinks, and she shakes herself out of those thoughts of the past.

"Some others change, professor Grimes," Michonne replies, and she constantly throws his past title at his face to remind him that things are different.

Shane looks at the pair, and he wants to claim that he was right. He wants to point out that Rick is reacting to Michonne as he predicted. Somehow, Jessie must be an afterthought for his brother.

" We will let Maggie solve that, and until then, you can recover from your trip in the room upstairs." Glenn firmly says, and Michonne reluctantly follows him.

* * *

Shane grabs Rick's arm, and he drags him away from everyone else. He quickly grabs two bottles of beer in the fridge. For a second, they silently drain their drinks.

"We needed that," Shane sighs, and Rick rolls his eyes, "what? I have gone through a mental loss. Look, when you see a woman like your Michonne, two thangs happen. First, you get a boner, a real hard one. Second, you start thinking about a future because she is fucking beautiful," He explains with utter seriousness.

Rick swats the back of Shane's head, and he does not share his brother's amusement. Michonne is the last person, who he wanted to meet or needed to meet. Rick rests his head in his palms, and aside from his strong feelings for Michonne, his guilt has begun to resurface.

"This is fucked up," Rick sighs, and he can't stop thinking about her, "She is still as gorgeous," He admits, and looking at her hurts as much as he did the first time.

"Look, I didn't judge you before meeting her, and now, I understand," Shane says as a form of unwelcomed comforting words.

Rick laughs at the irony, and he does not want to say how her beauty is the smallest part of her appeal. Michonne is beautiful, but her mind and heart make her compelling. Rick scratches his head, and he certainly wants to walk to her room. He did not remember how much he always craved her. From the hours of conversations, which he spent picking through her mind to the hours, which he spent worshipping her body, he could never have enough of her.

"Fuck…" Rick sighs, and he does not know what other words express his emotional state.

"Y' all are going to do just that," Shane concludes.

He has never seen people radiating such amount of sexual tension. All the stolen glances and the subconscious steps toward each other, he has seen enough people dancing the tango to recognise an emotional one.

Rick does not bother to answer. He drinks the rest of his beer.

"This is fucked, and it's complicated. Why now?" Rick has more to say, but she occupies most of his cohesive thoughts.

"I will be blunt with you," Shane states, and Rick wonders when Shane is diplomatic, "don't be dumb. Wait before arguing…" He adds because he foresees Rick beginning to unearth guilt, which he fought to bury.

"Lori is dead, and God forbid that you use her as an excuse when you had know qualm smashing Michonne while she lived," Shane says with his usual recklessness, "Miss bland is a nonfactor. Regardless of Blondie, you and feminine perfection Michonne are going to do what you do best. You are going to crawl in her bed, and I can tell she will let you. I know what I saw. Fucking is unavoidable, but you can go about it right and dump Blondie, or you can very well cheat on a psychopath."

"Nothing good can come out from …" Rick can't bring himself to say, but he is already in the process of self-flagellation.

"I heard you loud and clear," Shane sighs," You want to be dumb, and I will tell you that I told you so as soon as you get your head out of your ass." Shane foretells a truth, which Rick decides to ignore.

* * *

When Sasha picks the phone, Michonne does not know what to say. Michonne's best friend reads her expression of turmoil. Through the screen, emotions can disappear, but Michonne is a picture of hurt.

"Why do you look as if you saw a ghost?" Sasha asks, and she looks on her left to check on Andre.

"Because I did," Michonne replies, and he does haunt her. "Don't judge, and for how America is big, I had to…" She does not have a second to finish, and Sasha has her answer written on Michonne's face.

The tone of adoration, which hides in her voice when she talks about him, reveals what Sasha needs to know. From the first day, she met Rick; Michonne always had a pull toward him. Everything about Rick Grimes drew her.

"Rick Grimes and I don't want to judge," Sasha says with a quiet judgement.

"There is nothing to judge," Michonne argues, and she believes it will remain that way, "I would not put myself through it again," She firmly claims.

Sasha stares at Michonne, and she notices no difference between the girls, which came back from her first criminology class with heart eyes.

"Did karma ultimately catch up with him, and he lost his hair and beauty?" Sasha indulges Michonne, and she knows her friend wants to tell her every detail.

Michonne bites her lower lip, and Sasha wonders how long until she ends up in his bed. Michonne Barnes has no restraint or common sense when anything involves Rick Grimes.

"He looks good," Michonne sighs, "and it is unfair. He looks better than I remember, the asshole. His voice, his voice is… He is growing a beard. I guess, and I …" Michonne almost confesses that she still wants him.

The thought infuriates her. After what she discovered, she should want nothing to do with him. However, her heart decided to revive every conflicted emotion, which she felt for Rick Grimes.

"Mimi?" Sasha asks after a long pause, and she hears the sobs, "please, don't you dare."

"He has a daughter the age of Andre. He has a daughter, and she is gorgeous. She is adorable," Michonne says between tears and a deep breath, "Wait," She returns after snooping around the room to retrieve the toy, which Judith gave her, "look at this," she cries harder.

She carefully puts the toy on her bed, and she picks back the phone.

"She is adorable, and I was jealous because that asshole is a great dad to his daughter who he had from the mistress that he loved," Michonne attempts to wipe her tears, "While I meant nothing, and my son doesn't have a great dad."

"Mimi," Sasha listens, and she does not know how to proceed, "He didn't know about Andre," She defends Rick, and it costs everything from her.

Although, she does it for Michonne. Sasha knows that nothing would hurt Michonne more than to believe that her son was not worth his father love. As long as it is her mistake, she can fix it.

"And He will never know. He can have his perfect family." The anger in her voice is potent. "You don't even know the worst," Michonne confesses, but Sasha knows her better than anyone does.

"You loved him," Sasha loosely uses the past to give Michonne's hope. "Just don't let it cloud your judgement, and if you do let it cloud your judgement," Michonne interrupts her.

"I won't have sex with him, and I know better than to listen to my heart around Rick," Michonne replies, and she wipes her remaining tears, "Is Andre asleep?"

"He wouldn't go until he talked to his mother," Sasha answers as she picks Andre and sits him on her lap.

The sight of her son suffices to console Michonne, but she also remembers that his father is in one of the room around hers with the woman, who he chose over her. For a short second, she hates Rick as much as she loves him. Nothing has been so painful.

"Mommy," Andre says with a bright smile.

"Peanut," Michonne's smile returns, "I miss you."

They talk until the exhaustion forces her to end the call. Her reunion with Rick haunts her mind. Judith is a reminder of how little she meant to Rick. Michonne stares at her suitcases, and she makes up her mind. She is not sharing a house with Rick, and a plane sounds like the best option.

* * *

A soft knock drags Michonne out of her sleep. She begrudgingly leaves the bed, and her body is aching from sitting too long in the flight. She does not bother much with the thought of who could be on the other side.

Michonne opens the door, and she immediately regrets it. Michonne moves to the side, and she allows Rick inside of the room. Her actions are far from wise.

For a second, she watches him pace back and forth until he finds an ideal spot to stand. Michonne does not move from the door, and she tightly holds the doorknob. The silence is heavy and loud from the thoughts, which invade their minds.

"What do you want?" She decides to break the silence, and it costs everything from her.

Michonne does not want to hear what he has to say. Her conclusions suffice to form an opinion. Michonne begins to regret allowing Rick to step in her room and in her life.

"I don't know…" Rick scratches his head, and he is not entirely truthful with his answer.

He wants her, and time has failed to erase that. Although, his presence in his room is not an act of premeditation. Rick only noticed what he did when she let him inside the room. Michonne's room is on the path of the room, which he is going to share with Jessie, and Rick's desire overruled his reason.

Michonne cocks an eyebrow. They have played this game before, and it ended in tears for her. She sighs, and she should ask him to leave. She does not ask him to leave. The silence returns and the glances are timid. The indecision adds to the heaviness of the moment.

"How have you been?" Rick asks as his vocabulary continues to decrease, and he always pictures himself saying more if he met Michonne again.

Although, Rick did not foresee the emotional wave that hit him. An intricate knot wraps his love, guilt, and the need to do better. However, for a second, everything matters little. A strange tunnel vision and their relationship was always something, which devaluated everything else.

Michonne laughs, and it is bitter. From all the possible questions, Rick managed to choose the one with the most intricate answer. She finally moves away from the door, and Michonne does not know why she drifts close to Rick.

"I don't know…" Michonne sincerely answers, and it hurts to admit that she does not know how she felt in three years.

Aside from Andre, she interrupted her life. She paused feelings. She might have suspended time for him, and the reward was meagre.

"Okay…" Rick breathes the word out, and he should leave.

He does not leave, and he leans on the edge of the bed. Rick does not know why he does not stick to his plan. Complications, he senses them. Everything is too complicated. He drifts closer to Michonne. The distance is no longer abysmal.

"Michonne," He tastes her name on his tongue, and he does not know how to conclude his sentence.

Rick's hesitant strolls swallow the distance between her and him. Michonne should step back and recreate the distance, but she does not step back. Instead, she acts on impulse. Michonne looks in Rick's eyes, and she sees everything, which she wanted him to say three years ago, a minute ago, and now.

He does not say it, and Rick does not say much. He can't reconcile his thoughts with his actions. His fingers cage her face, and he rests his forehead on hers. Rick is unable to forget the three years, which lead to this moment.

Michonne's will oscillates. She has her frustration and anger calling for action. Although, she has all the neediness, which separation created. She has many fantasies, which kept her going for three years resurfacing. Above all, there is the selfish need to feel as if she meant something to him.

Rick almost kisses Michonne, and he catches himself on the verge of insanity. He feels the difference. Three years changed everything, and he has a pang of unbearable guilt from the thought of wanting Michonne. How strange that he suddenly thinks about Lori. Their last years sullied their relationship.

Although, Rick is not the wisest when it concerns Michonne. He draws a deep breath, and he breathes her. Something about Michonne is always soothing, and it excuses the consequences. Michonne's lips brush his lips. He lastly gives himself the time to quiet his thoughts.

Everything is different from what he remembers. The passion is more scorching. His need for her is greater than he thought. Rick presses Michonne's body to his, and his hands are bruising. There is desperation never to let her go. Although, in the back of his mind, he can't let go of everything. He pulls away when Michonne ultimately returns his kiss.

"I should go…" Rick does not move nor does he free Michonne of his grip.

"It was a mistake on your part and a lack of judgement?" Michonne throws at Rick his words of three years ago, and she remembers every word that he said the first time.

"Yeah…" Rick replies, and he continues to hide behind a sense of nobility.

"You should go…" Michonne agrees with Rick, and she does her best to remain collected.

She swats his hands away from her, and Michonne believes that she partly deserves the rejection. She was stupid enough to allow him in the room. She took the farce further by allowing him to kiss her.

"I'm sorry for…" Rick stops to face Michonne's fury.

Her slap resonates in the room. Rick knows that he deserves it. Michonne does not look at him, and she did not intend to react viscerally. Although, this is very much in part with her actions around Rick. Everything is an impulse. Everything is visceral. Later, she has to face the consequence while Rick does whatever he does.

"I don't want to hear it," Michonne lies, but she does not need to hear an apology, which will weaken a previously crumbling resolution, "I spent the last three years of my life completely obvious to your existence, and I don't see why anything needs to change." She hears her voice break. She didn't cry the first time, and Michonne refuses to start, "when you… forget it all." She grabs his hand, and she shoves him toward the door.

"Michonne," Rick softly speaks, and it is a reaction to the moment.

"I will do my best to stay away from you, and please do the same," She waits for him to agree, and she waits for him to argue.

Rick stares at Michonne for what feels like an endless eternity. She refuses to hope, but she has little control over the flutter of her heart. He reaches for her cheek, and his fingers graze her skin. Rick sighs, and he leaves. Michonne never foresaw how badly he could break a heart, which he already broke. She closes the door on Rick, and she wishes it also closed the door on every feeling, which she carried for three years.

* * *

Yvonne throws another gossip magazine. From a front page to another, she has to face what she tried so hard to hide. Yvonne could have forgiven many things, but public humiliation is beyond her clemency.

For all the efforts, which she put in raising Michonne, she never expected such a bitter reward. Perfect, she had a perfect daughter. How she deviated from the carved path, Yvonne has no idea. However, disrespect is a thing, which she can't tolerate from her daughter.

Yvonne calmly drinks her tea, and she checks the clock. Perhaps, she is the one early. Her conversation with Monroe was not the most pleasing. There is so much that she blames on Michonne and her bastard.

 _Who is the father of Michonne Barnes' son?_ Yvonne does not know the number of time that she has seen the headlines.

 _Fiancé of the prime minister's daughter denies paternity of the young Andre._ Yvonne pushes the magazine away, and she can't believe how her position in the sphere of power weakened. Never before, the Monroes have denied her demand, but here Michonne has burned her bridges.

"Hello, Mrs Barnes?" A voice breaks the thread of Yvonne's thoughts.

She smiles, and she carefully folds the magazine. Yvonne rises to greet the man.

"Dear Philip, you are late." She retakes her sit, and she calls for the waiter, "an Irish coffee with your richest whiskey," Yvonne orders, and she is very familiar with Philip's taste.

"I expected your call," Philip says, and he shakes a new paper that he holds, "disgrace at Matignon. The old France worried about tradition. Is it worth to question the effort of integration?" He reads the headline with a little smirk.

"We will weather the storm," Yvonne replies, and she drains her tea, " This is a scandal, which will fade."

"If so, I can't explain the urgency of your call," He answers as he takes a hold of his coffee.

Yvonne only calls Philip for the less pleasing job: scandal to suffocate, a skeleton to unbury, and many more things that require a less honourable work.

"I need a name, and I have little to go with," Yvonne says, and her eyes scrutinise the gossip magazine, which she discarded.

"A name?" He is curious to know more, and Yvonne is always a step ahead.

"I only know he is or was a married man. He had an affair, which lasted a few months with my daughter, and if I am not wrong he was teaching at the university, which she attended," Yvonne does not give her reason for needing the name, and she offers the information, which Michonne allowed to slip.

"Anything else?" Philip asks, and he knows Yvonne enough to sense that there is more.

"For now a name and a way to contact him will be perfect," Yvonne replies, and she is ready to leave.

"You know that I don't work in the dark, and I will need to know why I am putting all my resources in finding a name," Philip eventually dares to ask.

Yvonne offers a politely smile, which is an explicit rebuttal. She takes the magazine


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own the walking dead**

 **Thanks for the reviews**

 **Ps: I know Judith grimes holidays adventure, and so chill people I will give you the thanksgiving one soon. For any other fic update see you in 2020.**

* * *

 **Chapter V**

* * *

Michonne looks at the door, and she does not know what awaits on the other side. Facing her past is not the ideal way, which she dreamed of spending her holidays. Now, she has no choice but to disappear before the truth come forth.

She grabs her suitcase, and she begins to elaborate on valid excuses. At worst if everything fails, she will escape without saying a word. Michonne begins to drag her suitcase toward the door. She opens the door with determination, but her suitcase stumbles on an expected obstacle.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." Michonne quickly kneels to help the unfortunate victim of her suitcase.

"Hello," She says very unaffectedly by the accident, and her eyes brilliantly reflect her smile.

For a second, Michonne stares. It is almost frightening how her eyes are the perfect replica of Andre's ones. Michonne draws a deep breath, and she helps the little girl to stand.

"Judith, right?" She asks with a certain awkwardness.

Judith nods, and she rushes in Michonne's room without waiting for the invitation. She begins to climb on the bed, and Michonne worries that she might fall. Michonne forgets about her suitcase, and she rushes to the bed to help Judith.

"Thank you, ma'am," Judith says as she fully climbs in the centre of the bed.

For a second, she stares at Michonne. Ultimately, she climbs under the blanket, and she lies on her back.

"What are you doing?" Michonne asks with slight panic when Judith closes her eyes.

Judith slightly opens her eyes, and she appears to have a second of confusion. She thinks of the answer to Michonne's strange question.

"Sleeping," Judith replies most quietly, and she closes her eyes.

Michonne blinks, and she sits on the bed. She carefully pocks the small mass below the blanket.

"You can't sleep here," Michonne immediately replies, and she gently pocks Judith.

Judith does not reply to Michonne's statement. She slight move to another spot of the bed. Michonne sighs and Judith almost amuses her.

"I meant you can sleep in the room," Michonne clarifies her previous statement.

"Daddy is not in his room," Judith says while she looks into Michonne's eyes, "I'm scared." The eyes begin to glisten with tears.

Michonne sighs, and she knows now that she makes the worst choice. Michonne pulls on her shoes, and she fully climbs in the bed.

"And your mom," Michonne softly says, "I'm sure it's better in her room." She adds.

Judith looks at Michonne for a few seconds. She pouts with teary eyes. She draws closer to Michonne. Judith does not answer. She crawls from her spot to Michonne, and she rolls herself into a small ball by Michonne's lap.

"Don't be upset, sweetheart." Michonne cannot help herself, and there are sounds of sob, "it's okay. You can sleep here. You can tell me what scared you." She takes Judith up her lap, and she begins to finger comb Judith's hair.

Michonne does it until Judith begins to drool on her top. The small snoring sounds begin to erase the sobs. Michonne holds Judith in a small hug until she completely sleeps.

Michonne stares at Judith, and she wonders why it is not as weird as she expects it to be. She is holding the offspring the woman who has everything, which she did not dare to dream of all these last years. On the contrary, there is a form of comfort in nurturing Judith. Perhaps, she has grown too used to motherhood. Michonne watches over Judith until she too falls asleep.

* * *

Rick grabs a bottle of water from the fridge. Running did not empty his head, and he had little hope it would. He checks at the clock on the kitchen's wall, and it is barely a quarter to seven in the morning.

"You're up early," Maggie enters the kitchen.

"More like I'm having trouble sleeping," Rick confesses, and he takes a big gulp of his water.

"Must be hard to sleep next to the woman you don't love. I wouldn't be able to close my eyes too." Maggie counters and she grabs a water bottle too.

Rick sighs, and he sufficiently regrets a few decisions in his life. This entire trip would soon rank first in his shitlist.

"Shane put you up to this," Rick knowingly asks, and he drags a chair to sit down. "Can Y'all give me a break about this Jessie thang? I get it Shane doesn't like her, you dislike her, and I don't love her. Happy, we all agree." He finishes out of frustration.

Jessie is the last thing on Rick's mind. To be accurate, he has not given her a thought since the airport. For that exact reason, he has no problem confessing how little he cares for her. For now, Rick feels as if he is having a long old dilemma.

"For that last statement alone, you know I put myself up to this." Maggie wittily replies, and she pulls a chair by her brother. "Does it ever come to your mind that we want to see you happy? I mean you should understand it better than everyone should. You make it a point to keep everyone happy." She smiles at Rick.

Maggie draws a deep breath. She thinks of the weight behind her words. She recovers Rick's hand with her, and she squeezes it.

"Jessie is not a do-over. All this regrets because you could not love Lori, they won't disappear because you would jump into a similar situation and correct the past error." Maggie wisely explains. "Can you for once stop feeling as if duty bounds you? You know just take a minute to be Rick Grimes without all the duty you think will make you a good man." She insists.

From a glance at Rick, she can tell it is not a conversation, which he cares to have. However, he has never sat long enough to listen. Now, Maggie does not know why Rick willingly sits through every word.

"You don't have to be a grateful son who has to marry because the family business is sinking. It didn't work out well for you. I know we all sound ungrateful because we owe you big for marrying Lori." Maggie corrects her statement. She does not need a reminder on the worst time of her life, "You don't have to be the inconsolable widow who wants to right his wrong by taking a charity case for next wife. It won't work well this time too. For once, find a woman you love and be Rick Grimes. No one would say shit if you do." She finishes with conviction.

Rick chugs down his water, and he moves to the fridge. Maggie quietly waits for him to answer. She watches him pick the eggs from the fridge and move around the kitchen.

"How are you doing now?" Rick clearly shows his reluctance to brush the topic.

"Talk to me, Rick." Maggie worriedly pleads.

There is a sombre mood around Rick. He stops fidgeting and looks at Maggie. Rick hardly hides his frustration with the situation.

"I do… what am I doing now?" He replies.

"You're hiding behind walls." Maggie corrects Rick's claims, "Dad always said he cared too late, and you cared too early." She compassionately adds.

"It's seven in the morning. Can we talk about what we want for breakfast? Judith is going to be up soon. I need to have something ready." Rick remains immovable on his need to disregard the conversation.

Maggie sighs, and she knows not to push when Rick closes himself. She shouldn't have mentioned that specific past.

"I'm sorry," Maggie genuinely says.

"How are you?" Rick repeats.

To Maggie's ears, the question resonates like Rick's tentative to ground his mind. Besides, it is an olive branch. There are issues of a past, which Rick prefers never to reminisce, and his family rightfully avoids those. However, Maggie in her eagerness to help almost unearthed darker demons that those haunting Rick now.

"Still sick and vomiting," Maggie replies.

"Sorry, is there a way I can help?" Rick breathes a sigh of relief with Maggie's abandon of the topic.

"Maybe keep me company until every one wake up." She adds a small smile.

"Now, I have to wake Judith up, but I will be back in a minute." Rick begins to head toward the stairs.

"I can do it, and you can take your shower meanwhile." Maggie offers, and she rises from the kitchen stool.

"No need. It's a ritual." Rick declines with a tender smile.

He needs a way to quiet his mind, and Judith is ultimately his focus above everything.

"We have dinner tonight, Rick," Maggie shouts as Rick leaves the room.

"We?" Rick asks for the certainty that he does not exclude someone.

He returns to the kitchen to have a clarification. Maggie smiles as if she knows what Rick wants her to say.

"You can bring her, but I'm not responsible for Shane's comment."

"I see…"

* * *

Sasha worrying looks through the door peeping hole, and the presence of a man in front of Michonne's apartment does not reassure her. She attempts to be the quietest possible to see what he would try.

There is nothing greatly suspicious about the man's appearance. He looks rather banal with his short black hair and his tall silhouette. The ring at the door makes her jump, and she cannot decide if she must open the door or continue to hide.

"Aunt Shasha, the door," Andre decides for Sasha while he continues to move recklessly on Sasha's hips.

"He heard us," Sasha sighs, and she regretfully opens the door.

"Hello," The man greets, and he extends his hand.

Sasha looks into his blue to search for reassurance, and his look is rather empty of emotion. She takes in his appearance, and he looks in his forties. Sasha hesitantly takes the hand, which he offers.

"You heard us," Andre says before Sasha can return the greeting.

"Euh…" He has a moment of confusion, which he brushes with a smile.

Sasha almost reads the panic in the quiet confusion of the man. She begins to eye him with a newfound suspicion.

"Say hello, Andre," Sasha encourages, and she looks apologetically to the man. "Hello, can I help you?" She cannot help but sound suspicious.

Another smile from the man and it serves to make Sasha more suspicious. She tightly holds on Andre, and she prepares herself for any scenarios.

"Social services," He says while he takes the initiative to enter the apartment. "I'm Francis."

Sasha does not move from her spot, and she does not allow him inside the house. She watches him from the corner of her eyes, and she expects him to say more about why he stands at the door.

"It's about the little Andre case, and I'm coming for an inspection." Francis expends with the hope that Sasha will buy into it.

Sasha's eyebrows fly to her hairline, and she curiously looks at Francis. She refuses to move from the door. She does not share Michonne's naivety regarding Yvonne.

"But there is another agent in charge of the case," Sasha argues, and her instincts are on high alerts.

"Yes, Missus DuPont had some personal matter to attend to, and so the case has been handed to me." Francis patiently explains, "Can you allow me in for the inspection?" To Sasha, the statement sounds like an order.

"Come in. What did you say your name was?" Sasha asks while she reluctantly moves away from the door.

"Francis Grosjean, I have a few questions before I inspect the house. I would like to talk with little Andre alone too." Francis says while he carefully takes a sit, and his trained eyes stay in an intimidating manner on Sasha.

"But Andre already had an interview with your colleague," Sasha points out, and she cannot help but be suspicious of the man.

There is something about his aura, which does not agree with the picture of calm, which he attempts to portrait.

"I'm aware, but as I said, missus DuPont no longer handles the case," Francis says, "I'm in charge now, and my opinion on the matter is crucial." He adds with the intent to intimidate.

"Okay," Sasha reluctantly gives into Francis' hand.

….

….

….

"Where is Miss Barnes?" Francis asks as he begins to scrap on his notes.

Sasha looks at the man with reluctance, but she has no choice. She attempts to keep Andre straight on her legs while he attempts to escape.

"She had important engagements, which need that she does to America." Sasha embellishes the truth.

"America?" His eyebrows rise to emphasise his surprise.

Sasha chooses not to expand on the matter. She continues her attempt to calm a fussing Andre.

"Some work," she makes the choice to close the chapter.

"Okay…" He looks into Sasha's eyes to search for the lies. "And she did not think to take her son," Francis adds, and he cares for the answer, which Sasha can invent.

"She has yet to have all the legal right on Andre. You should know since you're now in charge of the case." She counters, and her suspicions grow.

Francis remains unfazed by her statement. He smiles in a manner, which he considers reassuring. If Sasha has ever since an odd man, he fits the picture.

"Now, I'm aware that she follows the rules. I would have loved to ask her question, but I shall proceed with the inspection of the house." He stands without waiting for Sasha to reply.

Sasha stands too, and she does not intend to leave him alone for a second. She carefully walks behind him.

"Miss, you could influence my work," Francis says with frustration, which he can no longer hide.

"Well, I don't think it is by the rule to have you snoop in the house without me." Sasha counters and she ultimately catches up with him.

"Miss Williams, what are you going to tell Miss Barnes after she loses her child only because of your uncooperative nature?"

…

…

…

He pushes another drawer open, and there is no trace of what he is looking for. Thirty minutes have passed, and that noisy woman would do what she does best.

"Nothing," Philip groans.

He did not waste a day playing a social worker to find nothing. He looks around, and he hears Sasha talking to Andre behind the door. He cannot believe how suspicious she is. If he did not intimidate her, she would be by his side, and he would not be able to search for any hint toward Andre's father.

"Fuck," He slams the bedside table.

"Everything is alright," Sasha shouts from across the door.

Philip draws a deep breath, and he would kill the bitch if she continues to annoy him. He sits on Michonne's bed, and he peruses the room. Slowly, he wants to put himself in Michonne's mind.

"Single mother who had an illicit relationship. There must be something left of that relationship. Think, Philip," He continues to look at the room.

He looks for things left untouched or anything overused. They are two opinions. Bonnie might be nostalgic for that old love, or she acts as if it never happened.

In that optic, Philip heads toward the dustier sad of the room. There are old college brochures. There are too many photos of New York for it not to mean anything. Philip continues to look through that pile, but he finds nothing that can help his quest.

"Nostalgia, it is," Philip looks at the room.

There is a board with drawings from Andre. Instinctively, he walks toward it. They are small notes between the drawings, but two sticky notes stand apart from the others.

Some words are invisible, and the corners have tears. Philip can tell that Michonne constant read those two notes.

 _7 pm_

 _I love you_

 _R.G._

Philip sticks back the first note, and he reads the other when it is impossible to tell a word from another. However, there is something, which he can easily decode.

 _I love you_

 _R.G._

He returns the note to the board, and he walks out of Michonne's room.

"I heard noises," Sasha says as soon as he opens the door.

"Will it reassure you if you could follow me around the house while I inspect?" He asks with confidence now that he has a hint.

Sasha nods, and she follows him through every corner of the house. Philip makes some comments here and there. They ultimately return to the living room.

"If you would wait in the kitchen, I would like to talk to Andre." He demands, and he assumes Sasha would argue, "Miss Williams, there are many things to hold against your friend. I trust you don't want to be one. It is a routine procedure to have a conversation with the child." He lays the web of his manipulation.

"I would be in the kitchen, peanut. If anything makes you uncomfortable, call me."

Sasha carefully puts Andre in the sofa, and she reluctantly walks out of the kitchen. She immediately pulls out her phone to pass a call.

* * *

Rick stares at Michonne's door. He has gone through every room of the house, and he couldn't find Judith. He should have stayed with his daughter until she was awake. However, he needed to empty his mind.

Now, he can only regret his choice. Rick doubts that Michonne wants to see him sweaty and bare chest. If he trusts last night and what came out of it, she does not want to see him in any context.

Rick sighs, and he pushes the loose curls sticking at his forehead behind his ears. He should take a shirt. However, he is not willing to walk over Jessie's room. Since last night, Rick has begun to avoid her like the plague. Rick suddenly starts thinking that he needs a room for himself.

Rick draws a deep breath, and he forces his odd thought to become silent. After five deep breaths, he finds the courage to knock at Michonne's door. He has to knock repeatedly until there is movement behind the closed door.

"A minute," Michonne replies.

Rick hears a few funny-sounding words, which he assumes to be curses. He does the same around Judith, and he can only assume that Michonne hit her foot against the bed or tripped over the bedsheets lying on the floor. He has not forgotten how clumsy she is.

"Yes," Michonne says while she looks at her foot with a pout on her face.

"Your foot hit the bed."

Rick can help but notice that he is right. Michonne stops staring at her foot, and she raises her head to look at Rick. For a second she blinks at his appearance.

"Some things don't change," Michonne concludes.

Her clumsiness, Rick, and her feelings have not changed.

"The details don't change, but the entire picture does." He corrects Michonne's statement.

"You thought me that," Her statement is a reminder that she should not waste a breath into a conversation with Rick.

"I will wake Judith up," Michonne says.

"If you do it, we will have a cranky Judith the entire day." Rick argues, "It's an art to get her to wake up with a smile."

He carefully wraps his arm around Michonne's waist. It is an act born of habit. They hardly notice how he is holding her.

"I know how to wake a child up," Michonne argues, "It can be worse than waking up Andre."

"Andre?" Rick takes in the name, "That's a pretty name. You have a son," He does not find it in him to hide the jealousy.

In his mind, there is a selfish thought, which laments that she did not carry his son. Although, Rick attempts to quiet it. He rests his chin on the crook of Michonne's neck. Every touch has roots into old habits, which have become second nature.

"And you have a daughter," Michonne counters, and she does not hide her emotions.

Michonne breaks Rick's hold, and she puts a safe distance between them. She busies herself with her hair, which she futilely wants to put in a bun when they are already in a bun.

Rick stares at Michonne, and he wants to tell her everything. However, he decides to remain silent. He does not think she wants a reason why it had to end. He assumes that she should not have to explore a past, which she ultimately moved on from to have a happy life.

"I'm glad you're happy," Rick tells Michonne.

She could tell him how hard it is every day, but Michonne decides to hold everything. She smiles to feign that so-called happiness.

"I'm glad you have a happy family." Michonne replies, "I think you need to wake your daughter up." She reminds Rick of why he is in her room.

"Yeah…"

…

…

…

Michonne did not think it would hurt as much to see Rick be a good father. However, everything makes her resentful. She feels as if she is as much to blame as he is for his absence in Andre's life.

Michonne had never thought of Rick has a family man. If she ever did, she pushed the thought down to carry on with their liaison. Now, she has no other choice, but to admit that he is caring.

"Hey…" Rick whispers while he delicately pulls hair away from Judith's face. "Sweet pie, it's time for breakfast." He slightly shakes her shoulder.

Michonne cannot help to think that Andre deserves to have his father similarly waking him. She leans against the door, and she ponders on her life of secrecy. Is it worth the ache and the regrets?

"Judith…Judith… your pancake will be cold." Rick continues to be endlessly patient while Judith continues drowsing.

Michonne can easily tell that it is a routine. He wakes her up with love and cares every morning. She does not want to pry, and yet, there is a case of morbid curiosity. She almost wants to torture herself with the picture-perfect. Therefore, she stares at the father and daughter duo. She watches Judith open her eyes and immediately hug Rick.

It is an adorable scene, and she manages to resent it because she will forever wish her son to have a quarter of it. Michonne does not know why she perversely allows herself to suffer through it. Her phone rings before she can decide to stay and talk to Rick about her son who is not as lucky as Judith is.

"Close the door when you leave," Michonne says, and she walks out to pick her call.

"Hey, Sasha,"

* * *

Sasha attempts to remain calm, but her instincts roar. She senses the oddity in regards to the situation. She does not believe a detail of that story, which the so-called Francis told her.

"Mimi," She draws a deep breath, "I don't want to sound paranoid, but I don't trust your mother too."

"Sasha, slow down. You told me that he's social service. Why would my mom… Never mind, she could send social service. I have nothing to worry about, and he would see that." Michonne confidently says. "I can't have a conversation with my surroundings." She whispers while she watches Rick descends the stairs with Judith nested in his arm.

"That's the thing!" Sasha sighs, and she does not blame Michonne for having too much on her plate. "I don't think he is a social worker. I have met too much on my job not to notice a fake one."

Sasha presses her ear against the door, and she wants to hear the conversation between Andre and Francis.

"Sasha…" Michonne has a moment of panic. "I don't know; call the police." She immediately adds. "I shouldn't have left. First, I had to meet Rick and…"

She immediately stops at the sight of a familiar visage.

"Hello, Michonne," Shane says, and he comes to stop in front of Michonne, "I think you're the only one missing for breakfast."

Michonne notices that Shane has no intention to leave without her. She stares at him with the hope that he would leave, but he crosses his hand.

"If I don't bring you down, Maggie will not be happy." Shane insists.

"I will come down. I only have to end this call." She attempts to be the most polite.

"Here, it is easy."

Shane grabs Michonne's phone before she can dismiss him. She helplessly watches him end her call.

"No excuses now or are you trying to avoid someone?" Shane knowingly asks.

He obverses Michonne's reaction, and there is a flutter of annoyance, which she quickly masks with a bright smile. It is so easy to understand why Rick would act out of character around her. Michonne has a warmth to her, which traps a soul with ease.

"I know you hear it a lot, but you're a fucking knock out." He laughs.

"I never heard it say that way," Michonne replies.

Shane extends his hand for Michonne. She reluctantly takes it to follow Shane into the kitchen. They walk around in a pleasant silence until they arrive in the kitchen where everyone is waiting.

"He's kind of slow and righteously stubborn. Which you already know. So if I'm not the option for you, he is not too bad." Shane whispers into Michonne before letting go of her arm.

"Rick, you're on my chair. Get the fuck up. I leave a minute and you steal my chair. Are you going to take my wife when I die?" Shane shouts.

He proceeds to act as if he did not deliver an expected blow to Michonne. She has moved from her spot by the door.

"Fuck off, Shane. There is an empty sit by Jessie." Rick counters.

Shane laughs, and he walks around the table to sit by Rick where another chair was empty.

"Well, you didn't save this chair for your sexy student…" Shane pointedly speaks loud.

Michonne Regretfully walks to a seat next to Jessie, but Maggie elbows Glenn, and she forces him to sit by Jessie. After that awful car experience, Michonne does not want to be anywhere near Rick or Jessie.

"Mimi," Maggie opens her arms for a hug, "sorry, I was there to welcome you last night, but I will make it up to you."

Michonne returns Maggie's hug, and she avoids eye contact with Jessie and Rick who are drilling holes into her head while staring at her with too much intensity.

"I heard breakfast wasn't proceeding without me," Michonne speaks to distract herself from Rick's unwelcomed attention.

It does not work as planned. Rick has not stopped looking at her. Jessie is a minute away from aggression. Michonne alternates between staring at the plate and leaning toward Maggie for a conversation.

"Mimi…"

Michonne looks up to notice Judith who attempts to leave Rick's laps. She cannot help the brightness of her smile.

"Hi, Judith." Michonne waves.

When Judith returns her greeting, Michonne's smile becomes brighter and bigger.

"By the way, Michonne is single. She has an adorable son. You should have a conversation." Maggie does not have to say a name for everyone to notice that she wants Rick to acknowledge the information.

"Dad is single," Carl mumbles from his corner of the table.

However, Jessie might be the only one who heard what Rick's son has said. She glares at everyone and no one. She does not understand how she has not successfully conquered Rick's family. She has put her best foot forward to do so, and yet it's clear they want her out of his life.

"Shane, you should take her on a date." Jessie intervenes in the conversation when they purposely left her out. "Michonne is a bombshell, and she falls right into your alley." She adds in an insulting manner.

"Classic beauty…Michonne is a classic beauty," Rick instinctively corrects.

He sounds irritated, and the conversation annoys him. He does not know why he sits at the table.

"She falls right into professor Grimes' taste." Shane counters with a shit grin directed at Jessie.

"Maybe we could have more breakfast and less match-making." Michonne attempts to return into safer water.

"Yeah, we can save the match-making for tonight dinner. I made some reservations, and I think you'll love it." Glenn jumps on Michonne's wagon.

He can see how uncomfortable his work partner is. Glenn promises himself to look into it later.

"Thank you…" Michonne mouths.

* * *

"What's your name?" Philip kindly asks.

He patiently waits for an answer as Andre fidgets. Philips only hopes that the conversation with Andre can bring something new. He cannot do anything with initials.

"Andre," He timidly replies.

Andre's eyes stare at the floor, and Philip intimidates him. The wide smile on Philip's lips is not sufficient to reassure him.

"What's your mother name?" Philip continues to create a path leading to the answer he wants.

"Mama," Andre replies with a small annoyance.

He does not want to be in a room with this man.

"Can I go to Auntie Shasha?"

Andre begins to leave the sofa, but Philip catches him. He carefully sits him.

"If you answer my question, you will go back." He adds in a tone, which easily scares a kid.

Andre refrains from crying, but he automatically becomes the most uncooperative child. He attempts again to leave the sofa. Philip catches him, and he pins him back on the sofa.

"You will see your auntie," Philip says with exasperation.

Andre glares at him, but he stays in his chair. He crosses his little arms defiantly.

"What's your mother's name?" Philip tries with a softer tone

"Mama," Andre begins to cry.

Philip sighs, and it feels pointless to lose his time with a toddler. He is not going to find the identity of this child father while asking the question to him.

"Okay…" Philip feels the need to quiet his thought. "Do you know your papa's name?" He asks without any illusion.

"Trick…" Andre quickly whispers.

Philip looks at the little boy, who covers his mouth as if he is saying a secret. He easily understands that Andre is mimicking actions from his mother.

"Your papa's name is Trick," Philip repeats.

"Trick," he whispers again.

"How do you know your papa's name?" Philip asks for certainty.

Andre looks at the floor with an air of embarrassment. He should not know, and he should listen when his mother talks to Aunt Sasha while he pretends to sleep. However, he does often listen, and his father is a recurrent subject.

"It's mama's secrets." He mumbles, "I want Auntie Shasha. "

Philip smiles, and he stands from his spot. He helps Andre down, and he begins to walk toward the kitchen.

"Miss Williams?" He calls with a glee in his voice. "You can finally come out." He does not doubt that she must have spied on the conversation.

Philip could care less now that he has almost a name, Rick G.

"How did it go?" Sasha immediately asks Andre who clings on her leg.

"Better than I hoped," Philip decides to reply.

"Did you say your name was Franck Grosjean?" Sasha asks for reassurance.

"Yes…" He replies, "I will be taking my leave."

Sasha is almost in a hurry to put him out. She closes the door as soon as he leaves. She needs to confirm that her fears have happened.

"Hi, I'm Michonne Barnes." Sasha anxiously says, "Yes, I will wait."

A few minutes pass until she has an interlocutor on the phone.

"Hello Miss Barnes, how can we help?"

Sasha takes a deep breath, and she thinks of how to formulate the question.

"Well…I needed to confirm who your agent in charge of my case is." Sasha decides to beat around the bush.

"Missus Marie Helene DuPont," He replies, "and you have an appointment in three weeks."

Sasha rushes into Michonne's room. What she sees is answer enough for her next question. He could not even remember what first name he gave her.

"And Mr Francis Grosjean?" She asks for certainty.

"Who is Mr Francis Grosjean?"

* * *

"What are you doing?" Maggie says as she walks into Michonne's room.

Michonne places her suitcase on the bed, and she turns to look at Maggie. Her friend appears to be a bit pale, but it is nothing surprising considering her health status.

"Rushing to make it for my hotel reservation."

Michonne puts her luggage down, and she checks the hour on her phone. She notices Sasha's missed call. She promises herself to call Sasha as soon as she is in her hotel room.

"Hotel?" Maggie asks with slight confusion, "Why? Did Shane make you uncomfortable? You don't like the room. I should have asked before assuming that it will please you."

"Shane is a lot, but nothing I can't handle." Michonne laughs, "The room is gorgeous, and I love the bathroom. I…"

Maggie questioningly stares at Michonne. She sits on the bed, and Michonne feels compelled to do the same.

"What is it? What has you running from a fun time with your friend and her amazing family?" Maggie easily pocks holes into Michonne's excuses.

"For one, your brother was my teacher," Michonne says with little conviction.

"I doubt Rick cares about that, and you shouldn't. Did I tell you about how laid back is my big brother?" Maggie starts with every intention to sell Rick as a desirable bachelor.

"And you want to set me up with your brother while he is on a family holiday with his family."

Michonne rises from the bed, and she pointedly waits for Maggie to deny it.

"Carl and Judith don't mind," She replies with a bright smile.

"Oh, Jessie does," Michonne counters.

"She is irrelevant in the matter." Maggie dismisses Michonne's argument.

"Look, I don't feel like creating tension or being at the centre of it. I want to have a good time with you and Glenn. I booked a hotel suite, and I will go there."

Michonne picks her luggage, and she has no intention to allow Maggie to convince her otherwise. She needs to remove herself from potential drama. She picks her phone to call for a cab.

"Please, Michonne, I need you here." Maggie pleads with an almost trembling voice.

"Maggie, you're being a bit dramatic. I'm not leaving Atlanta. I will be in a hotel not too far, but far enough from the potential mess." Michonne refuses to fall for manufactured guilt.

"Look, I don't have a lot of friends…" Maggie corrects her statement after Michonne's glare, "I don't have any good friend aside from you. I have told you a bit about trying for children, and I'm sure Glenn told you about everything. I like to assume we have built a relationship where I can come to you when I panic…"

Maggie draws a deep breath, and she looks at Michonne. Michonne retakes her seat by Maggie, and she drops her suitcase.

"You helped so much with Andre for the case and outside. I think I don't mind if you come to me when you panic." Michonne sincerely replies. "But I can't stay here for some reasons, which are not worth sharing."

"Those reasons are as important as being my only good friend, my bridesmaid, and the go-to adviser for every scare during my ongoing pregnancy." Maggie counters.

"Fuck you, Rhee." Michonne says with little conviction, "That is a low blow. I could do all of that from a hotel room." She widely smiles.

"Yeah but I want you around like everyone I consider family. I swear I will tone down the matchmaking. I'm forbidding Shane to bother you. "Maggie insists.

"Maggie…"

"At least give me tonight. If you still don't like my family, I will drive you to that hotel myself." She argues, and she has no intention to stop until Michonne compromise.

"Early morning, you're taking me to the hotel." Michonne replies, "and your family is amazing. Don't try to blackmail me."

"Well, I want you to stay by any mean. I should send Rick, and he can order you to stay. He is still your teacher in some form," Maggie laughs.

"Go away." Michonne throws a pillow at Maggie's head.

"Don't hit a pregnant woman," Maggie continues to laugh.

"Sorry baby Rhee, but your momma does not want to let me live down my past as professor Grimes assistant."

"Wait you were his assistant, and I need to hear more on this." Maggie lies on the bed.

"There is nothing more to say. Don't you know the type of lecturer your brother is?" Michonne argues.

"Charismatic, charming, and too good-looking for his good. I had his class one semester and I was the one girl who didn't have a crush on him. Genetic saved me, and so Michonne?" Maggie teases.

"What did I say about drama and match-making?" Michonne rolls her eyes.

"It can wait after tonight dinner. I have good news to share after all."

* * *

"Had some good student-teacher time?" Shane asks between boisterous laughs.

The diner is arguably drama free, and Maggie is holding her promise not to attempt any matchmaking. However, Shane is trying to expose Rick and Michonne. Although, it appears as if he was trying to put to light their current feelings for each other.

"Ignore Shane; he says a lot of shit," Beth tells Michonne with a smile.

"I figured it out, but I guess it's part of his charm." She replies between sips of her wine, which she has begun to drink more since Rick and Jessie have arrived.

"Mimi is a lady of taste," Shane winks at Michonne.

Rick, on the other hand, must have become immune to Shane's tease. Although, he might have other prerogatives. Between uninterested glance at his plate and a long stare at Michonne, Rick divides his attention. Shane's jabs matter little to him. He occasionally listens to what Jessie whispers in his ear.

He has come to an easy conclusion. Jessie is unbearable, and he wants to ask her if she knows how they became an item. Rick does not remember how he went down that path. Pity or guilt, the answer lies between these options.

The spoon delicately hits the glass, and Michonne encouragingly looks at Maggie. Glenn leans toward Michonne to whisper.

"She couldn't wait to tell you and everyone," he sounds like the happiest man in the world.

Rick ultimately finds a reason to care for what goes on the table. He looks at Maggie who stands at the head of the table with a beaming smile.

"What is that?" Beth asks while her eyes stop on the picture, which Maggie holds.

"An ultrasound picture of your niece or nephew…" Maggie replies. "Four months."

"I'm killing you after congratulating you…" Shane points at Glenn while he rises from his chair to go hug Maggie.

Rick is rather quiet. He wants a long blow of cigarette. He watches as everyone walk up to Maggie to congratulate her. He does not feel as ecstatic as everyone on the table does.

There is another click, and it brings a needed silence on the table. Jessie stands with her cup of wine, and she stands. Shane reigns on his envy to tell her that she should know when to make herself small.

"I think I can congratulate you on behalf of Rick and me for bringing a new life in our family. I can't wait to walk your baby as his auntie…" She makes a show of fake tear.

There is an awkward silence. Everyone at the table wants her gone in some form.

"Oh…" Maggie does not find anything more fitting as an answer, "Oh."

"She means thank you," Glenn attempts diplomacy, "That is what you mean, Maggie."

Maggie stares at Glenn, and she does not think it is worth lying. She takes her glass of water, and she gulps as much as she can.

"I think Oh was as polite as she could do." Shane laughs.

"I will be back, "Michonne excuses herself.

Rick follows her with his eyes, and he resists the impulse to stand. He walks towards Maggie, and he hugs her tightly. He has not lifted her from the floor in many years, but it seems to be the appropriate child.

"I'm happy for you," He whispers, and he does not sound happy.

"You sound worried," Maggie, points out.

"Pregnancy is a scary thing. I'm a big brother, and I worry about shit." Rick attempts to be light. "I'm going for a cigarette, and I will come back more cheerful." He kisses Maggie's cheek and leaves the restaurant to go on the parking.

….

…

…

He does not know why he heads toward the bathroom instead of his seat. After four cigarettes, Rick does not feel better. He will continue to feel like shit. He does not know if it is what he has done in the past or the present, which makes him the greatest piece of shit. He concludes that it's on the fence.

"Are you okay?" Rick asks as he slides behind Michonne as she washes her hands in the common area between the men and women bathroom

"Did you follow me?" She does not sound as surprised as she should be.

It is not joy, but it comes close to relief. Somehow, Michonne yearns for Rick's presence. She only has the common sense not to want him in many ways.

"Nope, I only drank more beers than I should in an awkward situation."

Rick moves from his spots, and he looks at Michonne's reflection in the mirror. She is a canvas of emotions. Many have to do with his person and some have to do with people who might be more important than he was and is in her life. Rick does not know how to feel about it. Therefore, he begins to digest the knowledge.

"Hmmm…" Michonne is sceptical.

She begins to leave. She has had a soothing moment. Rick came, and he perhaps cared for her. It feels as if it is little, and Michonne understands that it might mean nothing. However, she cannot afford pickiness after such a long period of starvation. Rick is neither poison nor food. He is a gangrening mal to Michonne.

"And I followed you," He confesses while he grabs her wrist to stop her exit.

She cannot leave, and Rick is not ready to see her walk away. He knows how painful it is to watch her take the exit door. There is a sentiment of weakness attached to it. It is inevitable, and yet, he wants to prevent it.

"Why?"

She does not leave. Michonne does not bother to remove his hand. It is a comfort of familiarity.

"You're good at finding answers. I don't think I know why." He laughs.

She hates that their situation amuses him. Has she always been a joke to him? It does not matter now. It is inconsequential in their new lives.

"We talked last night," She pulls his hand away from her wrist.

Rick annoys Michonne. He angers and frustrates. Michonne hates Rick. She loves him. She is on the fences. It remains inconsequential.

"We did," He replies, and he takes a few steps back to show that he remembers the conversation word for word, "and I get it."

Rick returns to his previous stop. He pulls his cigarette, and she glares at him. They are inside, and he must be aware that she does not want his smoke to clog her lungs. Rick has always been an asshole. He blows his first smoke in her direction.

"So why are you following me?" Michonne asks for a response, which she does not want.

She leaves the sink, and she stands too close to Rick. He thinks of the diplomatic answer to Michonne's question. Rick does not follow Michonne, but she polarises him. A simple law of attraction, it's magnetic.

"You look like crap," He replies after a blow of cigarette.

He crushes what remain, and he throws it down the sink.

"Rick?" She does not deny what he has said.

She has stared at the mirror long enough to know that her eyes are red. She appears anxious. He is very blunt. Rick Grimes is a man with a smart mouth.

"Talk to me," He closes the distance between them.

He can make the request safely. He has the odd impression that he has little to do with her tears tonight. He did enough last night to make her swear not to cry over him. It's comforting.

"Not right now," Michonne refuses to seek comfort in Rick.

She wants to leave the secluded space. They are a few people who pass occasionally. Maggie chose the restaurant for how it gives a sense of intimacy. She should have chosen a busy popular restaurant. Yet, here they are in a corridor elegantly lit with candles and clear Christmas light over the wall. Rick holds Michonne prisoner between his body and the row of the sink.

"Well, you aren't going to talk to me when everything is fine." He replies.

"So what do you want to do? Abuse of your position or abuse of my naivety."

The word is spiteful. She wants him to relieve that day. Those are his word, which vindicates her rejection of his help and comfort.

Rick laughs, and it is nothing mean. There is a quiet embarrassment. He always regretted his choice of word. He had thought about a gentle way to end thing with Lori. He never thought about ending thing with Michonne.

"I could have phrased it better that day," He admits.

"Well…"

There is no need for such regrets now. She cannot use it as a currency to afford peace of mind. The Lord knows she cannot fix the previous year.

"Look, I hadn't planned to break up with you…"

She angers him with how depreciative she is of how much she mattered in his life. He feels like undoing what he did that day. Although, he has the decency to understand the necessity to keep a status quo.

"I wanted to marry you. I had… forget it." He says it with a nonchalance, which is mocking Michonne.

He is so nonchalant because he is an asshole. He knows the information is inconsequential to their future. They are long over. He no longer has the ring, which he had designed for her. At a time, he thought he was rushing, but years later, Rick is certain that he would have married Michonne. The ring no longer exists. He had it melted and turned into a bracelet for Judith. The yellow canary diamond sold to a jeweller for half its price.

"You're full of shit," Michonne says.

She does not leave the bathroom. It is an unexpected comfort. He helps her sit on the sink. He easily lifts her, and he picks the hand wipes for her to clean the random tears

"I know…"

He searches for another cigarette. He had quit a few months back. Rick stares at Michonne, and she is right. He is full of shit. He is a complicated man. He is in love with her. He is guilty of his wife dead. There is enough shit to drown in it.

"Why are you telling me this now?"

She is angry. Michonne feels like crap. She hits his arm, and she does it until her heart stops galloping.

"I don't know… It feels wrong to say it now, but I feel better telling you." Rick admits.

"Why are you so selfish?" Michonne asks, and she shoves him, "Were you always this selfish?"

"I had a liaison with my student while I had a wife and a son. The answer is obvious."

The fact stands until today. He thinks Michonne saw him under a light, which he never possessed. He is right she was naïve, and she has remained on some aspect.

"Fair enough,"

How can she argue with logic? She is not a dove and his not a crow. Rick is not all bad, and she is no saint. The monochrome does not suit their relationship. She wipes her last tears. He massages his painful arm.

They fall into the web of silence. He smokes as much as he can. He has not killed everything in Michonne. Rick might as well destroy her lungs.

"That's the anxious parent look…" He says, "What's wrong with Andre?"

Michonne looks at Rick. She should not cling at the comfort. She is not getting what Jessie has. These are crumbs. She will take it for tonight.

"I don't know. I didn't have the most reassuring call this morning, and I have been trying to call back since then."

Rick was right. Michonne is not shading any more tears for him. It does not anger him.

"Maybe Sasha is sleeping," Rick points out.

His hand frames her shoulder, and his thumbs draw the line of her collar. She relaxes in his touch. His touch is too familiar to draw immediately the reasonable thought.

"Sasha?" Michonne asks with surprise on how he is right about whom she picked to babysit Andre.

"I don't think you would leave your child with anyone else." Rick clarifies, "I know you better than I have known any woman in my life."

She does not have to tell him how selfish he is. He knows it, and he might regret it.

"What's the number?" Rick pulls his phone out, "I will try to call, and we can run out the network issue." He adds.

"You don't have to worry," She tells him while the moment is a consolation prize.

It is an odd moment where Rick is unknowingly carrying for his son wellbeing. Tonight, she will take crumbs because they are better than nothing is to a starving man.

"I know, but I want to worry."

Rick says those words that make it excusable that he is a selfish asshole. He has the moment when he shoulders the world and its misery if it means making a loved one happy.

"Think of it as a father duty."

She knows the context is not what he intends. She does not care. Michonne will feast on crumbs.

"Yeah," she smiles, "You do happen to be a good father."

"I try hard not to be like mine," He replies, but he sounds certain of his failure to the task. "Here."

Rick gives his phone to Michonne. She enters the number, and she waits for a ring, which does not come.

"It's off." She panics, "Rick, it's off."

"Hey," his hands cage her face, and Rick looks into her eyes, "Have you ever been away from Andre before?"

"No," Michonne replies.

"First-time anxiety," Rick understandingly smiles, "Breathe, Michonne." He forces her to follow the rate of his breathing, "Let's be rational about it." He adds when she regains a semblance of calm, "What could be a thousand reasons explaining why Sasha's phone is off?"

"She could be working," She supplies because he prompts an answer out of her.

"Another," He encourages.

"Her phone is always on low battery, and it might have switched off." Michonne begins to calm down.

"You're doing good nine hundred ninety-eight reasons to go," He teases.

She misses him, and Michonne will always miss Rick Grimes. Where was he when she needed this support to defend Andre? She wants to ask it, but the answer is one she assumes. He chose another woman.

"I get it. I'm being as ridiculous as the day he was making his teeth." She announces.

"Tell me that one, Michonne Barnes being ridiculous sounds like a lie." Rick humours Michonne.

"Well, I think they would soon ban me from the emergency service. Luckily, the teeth gate happened at home. I had already called his doctor four times in the night, and I wanted to call her wife Tara, which I did. Her phone was off, and so I called Sasha in panic. When she came home rushing, she noticed Andre's shiny bottom tooth." She tells him more details, and she would like to tell more about their son.

"Doesn't sound ridiculous. It sounds very Michonne of you." Rick laughs

"Is that a compliment?" Michonne teases.

Old habits cling to their pour. They easily fall into it, and it feels impossible to leave them behind with every feeling hurting their present.

"As most of the thing about you," Rick frames Michonne's face, and he leans toward Michonne "yes, it's a compliment. " His lips brush Michonne's one.

"Rick," She says between shallow breaths "Don't ruin it all."

She ruins it by allowing him to steal a piece of her heart. He does kiss her because he would not be himself if he did not ruin them. It is quick, and it would be meaningless if they were anyone but Rick and Michonne.

"You're right." He pulls away from Michonne, "I…" he draws a deep breath.

He should master the art of ending things with Michonne over some bullshit morale, which is on and off at his will.

"I don't want to hear it." Michonne calmly says.

They are only crumbs. They don't nourish. She does not want to hear his manufactured apology.

"I won't truly mean it anyway." Rick admits, "Goodnight, Michonne." He kisses her cheek, and it is the less pretentious adieu, which he can attempt, "Don't hide too long, or Maggie will send the troupes." He caresses her cheek, and he does not know how to let go.

"I would have said yes." She pries his hand away from her cheeks.

Rick smiles because she has offered him the knowledge to haunt him.

He walks out the corridor with no intention to return to the dinner table. Rick has long forgotten that he came with his girlfriend.

"Where were you?" Jessie asks, and she grabs his arm.

"You're standing by the bathroom door." He points out the obvious. "I was in a magical place being happy with the woman of my dream." There is no ounce of sarcasm in his statement although he wishes. "Now, I'm going to get drunk."

* * *

"You were his mistress too."

Michonne blinks and she does not know why Jessie followed her. She does not want to expand on the subject, and so she attempts to close the door. Jessie puts herself between the door and the frame.

"I don't want to judge you, Michonne." Jessie says with feigned kindness, "How could I? I did the same mistake at the same time. I wasn't his student." She lies without missing a bit.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Jessie."

Michonne begins to push the door, but Jessie resists. The blonde-haired person rushes in the room, and she closes the door.

"Don't deny it," Jessie almost shouts.

For a second, she is rightfully angry. Where does the bitch come from to ruin her life? Jessie wants to claw Michonne's eyes, but she cannot do that unless she wants to lose Rick.

The tears begin to flow, and soon, Jessie is sobbing. She sits on Michonne's bed. She quietly lays the foundation of her manipulation. She knows what she saw on that dinner table. Jessie recognises the ache and the need for vengeance. She does not know how deeply Rick hurt Michonne, but it is deep enough to have Michonne feels as if Rick deserves to suffer.

"It's karma… I know." Jessie continues her theatrics, "You lose them how you get them. " She adds between tears. "We're happy. We have a family. I know Rick. It's all about fantasy. It's not about you, or he would have left his wife as he did for me. He wants the young girl, his student, and nothing else."

"Look, I don't know what you think happened between me and professor Grimes, but it's in your head. If you don't mind, I will see you out of my room." Michonne decides to disregard the entire conversation.

"You were kissing tonight, and you felt special. I know you must have. I always did when he cheated on her with me. I guess Rick has not changed. He will dump you like the others. You aren't special. "

Michonne tries to ignore Jessie, but she fails to guard her mind. Although, she does not show it beyond a mild annoyance. Michonne grabs her purse, and she begins to walk toward the exit.

"You need therapy and couple counselling. I'm not willing to offer any of those. I pity you, but I could care less. Should we bond because we both fucked him? Are we sister in the dick?"

Michonne is every inch of her mother's daughter when the need arises. She gives up on the thought to leave the room. She returns her purse to the bed. Michonne looks at Jessie, and she finds humour in the situation. She is too exhausted to perceive the situation under a different light.

"You want to cry about Rick Grimes. You worry that he needs to fulfil his fantasy with an old student. I will tell you what I told him last night and tonight, get the fuck out and don't think about coming back. I don't care for Rick Grimes, and the lack of fuck to give extends to you." Michonne ends.

"Good, you can stay away from him."

"Perhaps, help Rick understand that I want nothing else than to stay away from him."

She draws the door open, and she waits for Jessie to walk out with the same energy she came inside the room. Jessie stares at Michonne for a second, and she smiles.

"You loved him like a naïve girl. He knows how to spot your kind." Jessie says with false pity, and she sighs.

Jessie walks out with a last glance at Michonne, and she feels relieved. It is blatant that Rick is waiting for Michonne to forgive whatever he did to her. Jessie has no intention to allow it to happen.

"And I wanted to add…" Jessie begins, but Michonne no longer has the heart for the conversation.

"Get out."

* * *

"Wake up…" Rick shakes Shane's arm.

Shane groans and he turns to the other side of his bed. Rick sighs, and he insists. He shakes his brother's harder than the first time.

"Shane…Shane… fucking wake up," Rick shoves Shane with more strength than needed.

"What's going on? What…" Shane wakes up in a state of alarm, and he begins to rise from his bed ready to confront whomever he needs to defeat.

"Chill, it's me." Rick puts his hand on Shane's shoulders, and he drags his brother down. "I need to talk to you." He adds as he begins to sit on a free spot on Shane's bed.

Shane checks the hour on his phone, and he rubs the sleep away from his eyes. He begrudgingly looks at Rick, and he lies back on his bed.

"The actual fuck, Richard," Shane groans, "a quarter to four in the morning and you want to talk. Do I look like a counsellor?" He continues to complain as he yawns.

Rick rolls his eyes, and he leans on the headboard of the bed. He feels as exhausted as Shane does. Although, Rick wants to clear his mind.

"Shut up for a minute. This is serious. I'm breaking up with Jessie." Rick replies with exhaustion.

He has thought about it the entire night, and the conclusion is simple. Rick cannot escape it. He knew that what he felt for Jessie was closer to camaraderie than it was to love.

The night events have shown what Shane has been saying the last months. She is a nonfactor. He did not have a thought for her while kissing Michonne. He has no sense of guilt toward her. He could care less that she was in the next room. Rick thought of Lori. Michonne occupies his mind. However, Jessie is not even an afterthought.

"Y' all fucked. You couldn't hold it down for a night. Pitiable. I get it, five years dreaming about it, but rick, I gave you more respect than yourself. I thought it will take a week at least." Shane laughs, and he taps Rick's back.

"We didn't do shit, and I don't think I will approach Michonne." Rick sincerely emphasises the last part. "This thang with Jessie has nothing to do with Michonne. It has everything to do about you being right for once." He admits with half a truth.

Shane looks at Rick, and he shakes his head. He has never seen anyone so willing to be blind about everything, which affects his love life.

….

….

….

"She is dead," Shane, states with exasperation, "It's a tragedy, but people die. Lori didn't invent dying. Five years have passed. Can you speed that grieving process?" He continues to remain inconsiderate.

Rick sighs, and he rises from the bed. He begins to pace. Mourning and grieving are foreign words to him. He could not explain his trauma or guilt if he wanted. Rick can hardly pinpoint what makes him believe so hard that he killed Lori.

"How?" Rick asks without artifices, "You fucking rant about grieving and mourning Lori every damn day. The thang is that it's hypocritical. Fucking tell me how." He looks at Shane with naïve hope that he would give him instructions.

There is nothing but silence between the brothers. Shane straightens, and the conversation is not different from the one, which they had when they were much younger. The loss was different. Rick always has that way of carrying guilt for too long.

"You think it's only come to her death, but it was endless months. I held her hand and led her to her death bed for a child, which I didn't want until seven months after her birth." Rick feels exhausted, "You remember mama. I know you have not completely forgotten. It was the worst. This time, I caused it." He forces Shane to look at the horror through his eyes.

Their biological mother is a taboo. Someone who Shane was too young to remember as Rick does. However, Shane can remember how awful the month before her death was. They never talked about it after their uncle Herschel became their adoptive dad. It was not worth revisiting the trauma.

"Make it make sense to grieve. Before you speak get down your fucking high-horse and don't hold me to a moral high ground who only makes you a holy judge." Rick warns.

He is tired of the lesson based on nothing but the assumption of what he must do to be happy and a good man. He has done all he could to amend. Rick has done all he could think of to walk around the trauma.

"Shane, I'm tired. I'm depressed, and I have been since I walked in that office to break up with Michonne. I'm fucked up in ways that you would not understand. I took Carl's mother. I don't have a single clue if I'm being a good father to Carl or Judith. I'm desperate. I'm sorry. I don't feel guilty. It's not a feeling. It's a fact that I'm guilty.

If you think that in the middle of all of the thangs that I have a second to grieve, you're insane. If you think that Lori will stop haunting me, you're insane.

"You know Judith…Judith…it's hard to be her father. It's not like with Carl. I know I'm a shitty person. I don't care much for being a good person now. I try to be a good father. I always tried to be. I didn't want to be like him." Rick genuinely confesses, and he doesn't have to expend on whom he is mentioning.

Shane has heard enough of the man, and he has met him a few times. It was an unpleasant meeting. With each word, Shane does not know how to respond. He begins to understand that to Rick the conflict has a deeper root. Shane had never bothered to do the juxtaposition.

"After Judith's birth, I sunk deeper into my depression. I will stay in that room, and I will hear Lori hold our trial. We killed her. She would ask me to avenge her. I was depressed. I had relieved a trauma. I was depressed." Rick stops pacing, and he looks at Shane.

"Not the glamorous shit that everyone believes to be depression. Not the I'm sad beyond help. The real ugly deal with the psychosis. The tormenting hallucination. The destructive behaviour. I spent seven months dividing plans on my punishment. I didn't drink myself to sleep because I couldn't stand reality. I couldn't stand the hallucinations." He draws a deep breath.

Nothing feels as if it was four years ago. Rick does not think that he is completely over that phase of quiet destructive behaviour. He continues to hold on the punishment.

"I stayed away from Judith because I wanted to kill her and myself. I used to think that she killed Lori as much as I did. I got the crazy from mama. Of course, you don't remember."

"I spent eight days at the hospital. I don't take a bath, and I'm scared of the bathtub." Shane worryingly replies.

How could he forget the most traumatic experience of his life? He was four at the time. After that almost death, Rick took it over himself to become the parent. It did not matter how many nannies they had.

"Does it make sense now? No, it does not, but at the time, it made sense. I saw her parasite Lori. I saw Lori die in the course of her pregnancy. My mind wasn't in the right place. I wasn't lucid. You know I finally understood why mama tried to drown you. I think she wanted to punish whoever was guilty." Rick quietly says.

Shane looks at Rick. He sees the cracks poorly glued together. He feels stupid for not recognizing the extent of the trauma.

"Have her. You're what is killing her." Rick asks while he knows the answer.

"Like with mom." Shane shyly replies.

Rick returns to the bed. Shane finally understands how the months leading to Judith's birth were beyond traumatic for Rick. It felt like he was reliving the painful years of the past. Excepted this time, he was not the heroic brother. This time, he was the piece of shit who caused that mess.

"Lori was bone and skin. Judith took everything. She fed on everything Lori had. You see the end of it all. You only see the disastrous birth. I think dying was Lori's happy ending. It was the crescendo of the nightmare for me." Rick's head sinks in his hands, and he draws a deep breath.

"One day, Lori puked so much that it burned her throat to a point that it tore it, and she began to bleed. I cleaned the vomit. I cleaned the blood. I washed my hand, and I shut my mouth. I didn't tell her that she needed to stop. I knew it would kill her. She was already dying. I was long dead too. Why would I care?"

"Frankly, I might be as bad as my dad. I didn't hop and leave with my younger mistress. I did most it right. He will be proud. I fucked my student. I fell in love with her. I was ready to divorce. I might have continued to pay for the house and the nanny. I didn't want to be him, and so I had to stay with Lori while she was pregnant. I could do like him and leave a pregnant wife. I shouldn't have had a mistress. I found the excuse that I didn't love Lori. Lori knew as much. The excuses, I had so much of those." Rick has a disarming moment of unbashful honesty.

"I didn't physically leave, but in any other forms, I left when I broke up with Michonne." Rick clarifies.

Through the years, the truth has kept in pine on a spot. Grieving feels like an impossible task.

"You who know it all. Tell me how I mourn a murder than I committed, and I will gladly do as you say." Rick scratches his head, and there is too much desperation in his voice to mistake his words with sarcasm.

"Have you try forgiveness?" Shane offers, and he does not have anything harder to propose.

"I heard it does miracles." Rick's laugh is bitter, and it burns his tongue. "Anyways, I came to tell you that you were right about Jessie. She is no absolution. I need to find the proper time to do it." He stands from the bed and begins to leave Shane's room.

"You're not dad," Shane states, and he knows that the conversation will not resurface. "You're far from being dad. You didn't leave your pregnant wife and a son behind to marry your young mistress. I don't know how bad it was with Lori. I assumed it wasn't the worst time of your life, and now I know it was as bad as mom." He indirectly offers an apology.

Shane does not know how to follow, and he does not want to excuse every action. What Rick did is all shade of wrong. Although, Shane can only say it is in character with his brother. He tends to pave his way to his hell with good intentions.

"Do you remember when we used to pile the empty bottles of scotch, and it was so high. I always thought it was a game. I didn't know it was your way to check how much she had drunk that day. You can't be a bad father. You were mine at seven. You would argue with the nanny while mom was too drunk to care. Leaving Lori wouldn't have made you dad. I don't think Lori would have spiralled as mom did. " Shane argues, and he believes that Rick had a moment of cowardice.

Shane does not dare to say the hardest truth. He does not want to crucify Rick over what he cannot control. However, Rick should have left.

"Well, they both died under my care." Rick chuckles, and he can only laugh at the tragic course of history.

"Rick… you were nine when mom died." Shane emphasises. "She killed herself. You and I didn't."

"Goodnight, Shane," Rick replies, and he opens the door to leave

Shane knows that tomorrow what transpired of the conversation will once again be a taboo. He wants to stop it.

"Rick…" Shane calls, but Rick leaves.

* * *

She shouldn't have listened to Maggie, and the conversation with Jessie hurts more than she expected. Hours later, Michonne refuses to believe any word from the blonde-haired person's mouth. However, why would Jessie lie?

As Michonne sees it, Jessie has everything, which Michonne never dared to dream to have. The family with Rick and raising Andre with him, she has nothing of it.

Michonne rises from her bed, and she walks to the bathroom to clean her face. After tonight dinner, it has become obvious that she cannot stay. Michonne switches on the light, and in the mirror, she has a clear reflection of how the situation affects her. She washes away the dry line of mascara, and she begins to clean away the foundation.

"I will send an apology text… I will get her the biggest wedding gift…I can't," She mumbles while she endlessly erodes the bathroom floor with her pacing. "Fuck it," Michonne adds with exasperation.

Michonne returns to the room to redo her suitcase. She needs to put miles between her and anything related to Rick Grimes.

As soon as she puts her suitcase on the bed, her phone begins to ring. Michonne checks the screen, and panic immediately rises.

"What is going on, Sasha?" Michonne says as a form of greeting.

After all the hour-long of silence radio, Michonne had begun to worry. Now, she anxiously needs an answer. Was it a hospital visit? Did Andre have another asthma attack?

"Mimi, I panicked," Sasha replies.

Her answer is enough to scare Michonne, and she rushes to her closet to pack faster. Michonne nests the phone between her shoulder and her ear, and she begins to throw clothes in her suitcase.

"What happened to Andre?" Michonne's voice gives away her anxiety. "Is he sick? I'm on way to the airport, and I would try my best to be home in fourteen hours." She adds while she quickly closes her suitcase.

"We're not home."

Michonne halts, and in her panic, she drops the suitcase. She attempts to process Sasha's statement.

"Not home," Michonne repeats, "How? Why? Sasha, not home."

She bombards her best friend with questions. Michonne's heart gallops, and her mind supplies scenarios. Nothing good can follow that statement.

"I panicked after your mother's spy came to the house. We had to go. Andre, I didn't think he was safe. You know your mother."

Sasha, who is usually above panic, begins to drown in it. Michonne fails to understand what her friend so poorly explains.

"Sasha, please. What spy...? My mom?"

"You need to come to pick us up. I have a bit of money, and Andre is asleep. Michonne, I panicked." Sasha only adds to Michonne's confusion.

"Sasha, shut up, please." Michonne has to intervene, "breathe, and try that again."

Sasha draws a deep breath, and she stares at her surrounding. She helps Andre to be comfortable on her hip. Sasha draws a deep breath, and she finds a semblance of calm.

"Look, we have landed from an hour flight. We are at an American airport. I don't know where to find you, and Andre is sleeping. Please, come pick me, Mimi." Sasha says in a breath.

"What? Sasha…" Michonne stutters.

"I swear I panicked, but I will tell you everything."

Michonne does not listen further, and she begins to reign on her panic.

"Which airport?"

...

...

….

"Like a thief in the night," Rick's voice scares Michonne, and she almost stumbles.

Michonne attempts to find him in the dark living room, and she sees his silhouette moving. Before she can say anything, Rick lights the room. Michonne puts her hand in front of her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Michonne asks to distract him while she begins to head toward the door.

"Not running away like you," Rick replies, and he goes back on the sofa. "We're adults." He adds with a sigh.

Michonne rolls her eyes, and she looks at Rick as he lies on the couch. She looks at her phone, and she wishes the cab, which she ordered could arrive.

"I'm aware of what we're, Rick," She sighs with exhaustion, and she does not want a random conversation with Rick at three in the morning.

He looks at Michonne, and Rick moves in a sitting position. Rick looks at Michonne, and he thinks about what he wants to tell her. He does not know where to begin.

"Here," He quietly says as he taps on the spot next to him.

Michonne stares with confusion, and she checks her phone to see if her cab has arrived. She does not care much for what Rick has to say.

"Look, Rick, I have something urgent to handle. I need to be at the airport, and I can't sit here to have a conversation surrounding your man pain. "Michonne replies.

"I will drive you there."

Rick stands, and he does not wait for Michonne's response.

"What…" Michonne wants to argue.

However, Rick has already dragged her out of the house.

"Rick, my cab is coming."

He does not care for what she says. Rick has made his mind. He does not believe he would have to courage to speak another night.

"It's three in the morning. You don't know the city." Rick replies, and he opens the door of the passenger side, "please get in, Michonne."

Michonne stares at Rick, and she has a minute to process what is unfolding. He has a point about how dangerous it can be to take a taxi at such an hour.

"I can't go with you," Michonne argues.

"I need to talk to you." Rick stubbornly counters. "She was pregnant… My wife."


End file.
